UK - Resources for help getting food during quarantine and other supermarket related problems

UK - Resources for help getting food during quarantine

Moderator note: This thread is UK specific and has been split from the general thread on the subject to make the threads easier to navigate for people from around the world.
Resources for help getting food during quarantine and safe handling of food
See also this thread:
UK: REGISTER AS A VULNERABLE PERSON TO GET CORONAVIRUS SUPPORT

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more confusing messages;
various supermarkets have announced special times for old people to shop.......but I thought they were supposed to be self-isolating?

 

I got an email from my local sainsbury's saying that anyone over 70, or that sainsbury's was aware was in a 'vulnerable' category would have exclusive access to my local store from 7a-8am tomorrow.

So peak times on public transport, and chargeable even if you have a pass, then.

We apparently have people on nextdoor doing things, going and getting shopping etc, as well as warnings saying that these people (not specific, as a category) may take money and disappear, not getting any shopping, for the person that asked them to anyway - they may use the money to buy shopping for themselves, I don;t know)

I have a shopping order being delivered today, lots of substitutions, but no as many non deliverable items as i expected (I expected 50-60& of the order not to turn up, it's probably closer to 20%)

By and large good choices but the odd thing - erm? what?

So they seem to be doing a good job under the circumstances.

Just finished my last trip out so once the outstanding shopping and a few other bits turned up maybe I can get some damn rest

Isolation = sustained rest, can only be a good thing for me

 

Just a heads up for those of us who get groceries delivered, book early!, Tesco is currently booked up almost 3 weeks ahead, the earliest slot showing today is April 6th. Also don't forget you can have multiple deliveries booked in advance.

 

I drove to the Sainsbury's in Taunton, early this morning. The only way I can be fit to drive is not to go to sleep at night (as I'm at my worst for the first several hours after waking up). So I slept during the day yesterday, then kept myself up all night, just to try to get some of the essentials (like toilet roll and soap).

So, I got there as soon as they opened at 7 am, the store was pretty quiet for that first hour. But... there were no toilet rolls, no liquid soap, no bleach, no caster sugar, no flour, no rice, no dried fruit etc. Speaking to staff (there were bizarrely lots, whereas normally you can never find one...) most were only learning about these new measures from customers!

Then I was told that they had a delivery of toilet rolls yesterday at 4 pm, which were immediately put out on the shelves and went within half an hour. Not surprising, because shoppers who are intent on bulk buying can just keep going out with their first limited purchase, then come back in and get a couple more, and keep doing this until the shelf is empty if so desired.

I asked whether they were planning to put aside stock of these 'highly desirable, essential items' for first thing tomorrow when the store is only open for the elderly and vulnerable, and was met with puzzled expressions. Apparently not, because after all, some elderly people can't come at 7 am but can come in at 4 pm (although the times of daily deliveries obviously varies and is unpredictable of course...).

So, I asked whether they are they planning on setting aside stock for online deliveries for the vulnerable and elderly? The same puzzled look and then an explanation of why this wouldn't be possible as it's not 'how they work'. However, it was pointed out to me that staff were busy picking out items for online deliveries at that very moment (yes, when stock is low...).

 

Individually, the shop floor staff (including the pickers) are doing a great job under difficult circumstances.

 

For Sainsbury's, it's currently just tomorrow morning.

 

Urgggh @Simbindi i would have to do exactly the same as you to get somewhere at that time in the morning, just stay up all night. I'd be livid if i did that and the shelves were still not stocked.

 

It was an experiment - I've never, ever been in a supermarket at that time of day! I usually go in the evenings when it's quiet, and then only once a month. I get my prescriptions done there, as I can't get them posted via an online service as they are packed into the weekly dosette cartridges for me. The pharmacy who are attached to my GP surgery (located in West Somerset) messed around my home deliveries so much that I was getting more and more ill - they would turn up at different times on different days, so I was prevented from sleeping when I desperately needed to, ending up in permanent PEM.

I prefer Sainsburys' food, but use Tesco for online deliveries because the Taunton Sainsburys only offer a very restricted range of items for delivery (though a full range via click and collect). However, although I have a couple of slots booked over the coming weeks for Tesco, the online service is showing most items (the ones I need) as out of stock! It is really bad now for people who can't get to the supermarkets.

I am going to pop out and check the smaller Co-ops in the nearest large village and also the small town where my GP surgery is. I am wondering if they will have better or worse stocks!

 

I've heard that most of the small corner shops are very well stocked at the moment

 

It took me 3 days to achieve this trip out, I was hoping to go Monday and yesterday, but had to sleep. That's why I didn't put the trip off until tomorrow, despite having the email from Sainsburys.

 

Both of the Co-ops were out of soap, bleach, toilet rolls, kitchen rolls etc., as well as being only half-stocked with food.

The Spar shop was well stocked with food (including rice and pasta), even had some bleach, but was also completely out of toilet rolls, kitchen rolls and liquid soap. So the basic toilet and hygiene products are completely out of stock in both the local supermarkets and the village shops! And all these places already had a maximum of 2 of each of these products per customer, so it's hard to see how the situation is going to improve without much more rigorous interventions being imposed.

 

I did read yesterday that many Tesco shops that are currently open 24 hours a day are actually going to start closing at 10pm and opening at 6am or 7am so that staff can re-stock overnight.

One of the problems I have is that my storage space is very limited, so even if I wanted to stockpile anything I would have nowhere to keep it without making dangerous trip hazards throughout my small and already cluttered house. My fridge and freezer are also quite small. So, for example, if I stick a cauliflower in the fridge it will use up a big chunk of the available space with just that one item.

 

My local Tesco stopped 24 hour opening over a year ago. I don't see how this is going to improve stocks for customers (except the lucky few who arrive just when they've put out the delivery (which could arrive any time of day - my local Tesco has staff stocking shelves throughout the day).

 

I'm only guessing, but if the shelves are largely empty and Tesco doesn't have much to sell then keeping an entire staff employed and a large shop open may be a waste of money for them.

 

in the last week our local shop sold out of toilet roll, eggs and bread almost as soon as it was put on the shelves for the last couple of deliveries.

I spent all yesterday afternoon faffing with my online shop. I managed to get a slot for today a few days ago, but then they notified me that a number of items were out of stock so I went to amend my order.
It was only when I started trying to add stuff that loads of other things started coming up as out of stock. This did not always show on the product listing and I only knew it was oos when I'd actually put it in my trolley.......then there was no way to delete it until I went to check out.......only to be told that I needed to spend £40....etc
So for a while, I was going round and round in circles trying to find stuff that I could actually buy.
Nightmare. Then I forgot to put a further info instruction for the delivery driver to put everything in a couple of plastic crates next to the front door.

You can only amend this information when you are actually placing the order.....so I had to go back in again and pray that I wouldn't find loads of stuff had suddenly become unavailable.

Can't wait for the next online shop.

 

I have an online Tesco slot booked for this Saturday morning. I was really hoping to find some toilet roll and soap, because I have enough food after today's physical shop. If I could have done this I could have cancelled the online order and generated a slot for someone else. Now I have to keep that slot in the off chance they have some toilet roll (and possibly soap) available. It's so frustrating (and completely unnecessary - if people hadn't bought up insane amounts of toilet roll!

 

I just ordered my toilet roll off amazon a few days ago, it was hard work, everytime i put it in my basket it flew out before i could press 'pay now'

I ended up having to grab a pack of 18 toilet rolls for £24. Hoping they actually turn up at the weekend.

Ive spent the last week slowly sorting and cleaning all of my kitchen cupboards, and making an inventory of every item of food i have on my phone. In the event that i need to ration it for 3-4 months.

I'm also about to organise the cupboard at my front door that normally houses pots of paint that have probably gone off anyway and my wheelchair and turning it into a larder to house half of my tins to take the weight off my kitchen walls. As i was shutting the door, i noticed my old camping axe hanging on the door that i used to use for splitting wood. Think i'll leave it there in case i need to defend my food supplies in a few months once people regret buying mountains of toilet roll instead of food

 

I'm lucky that I hadn't had the energy to dispose of the old storage units.

Tomorrow afternoon is likely to be 'peak food' so my job for tomorrow (after accepting deliveries and maybe some light plumbing) is to rationalise my food stores, trying to keep as much tinned stuff on the base of things as possible.

(they actually gave me enough flour to make 4 loaves today, after saying I couldn't have it - I was 'surprised' as I haven't been able to get flour since this started.)

 

There's over priced toilet roll on Ebay, but I might opt to try the bamboo stuff (available from UK suppliers on Ebay and internationally on Amazon). It's not British and has strange looking foreign symbols on the box, so obviously no ones buying it!

 

I was just eyeing that up myself this morning on amazon and pondering the idea