Supermarkets at Christmas
Discussion
Honestly how does anyone put themselves through this willingly?
Had to go to Waitrose to get a Click and Collect and thought I'd try and grab a few bits that weren't showing in stock @ Ocado.
9am on Saturday morning and even Waitrose was like bloody Mos Eisley.
I know people feel pressured to have the "perfect' Christmas and food plays a large part in that for some people but bloody hell has it got too commercialised for my liking.
It's a very first world problem when there are people who can barely afford to eat whilst those able to are stripping the shelves of mini camemberts like vultures.
Had to go to Waitrose to get a Click and Collect and thought I'd try and grab a few bits that weren't showing in stock @ Ocado.
9am on Saturday morning and even Waitrose was like bloody Mos Eisley.
I know people feel pressured to have the "perfect' Christmas and food plays a large part in that for some people but bloody hell has it got too commercialised for my liking.
It's a very first world problem when there are people who can barely afford to eat whilst those able to are stripping the shelves of mini camemberts like vultures.
K87 said:
Ocado make my deliveries and have done for years, no hassle and no fuss.
Our dentist calmly told us she’s getting her Christmas Day food for the nine people she’ll be cooking for, delivered at 12 mid-day on Christmas Eve. My wife think that’s so ridiculous it should be made illegal! Sheepshanks said:
K87 said:
Ocado make my deliveries and have done for years, no hassle and no fuss.
Our dentist calmly told us she s getting her Christmas Day food for the nine people she ll be cooking for, delivered at 12 mid-day on Christmas Eve. My wife think that s so ridiculous it should be made illegal! andrew-6xade said:
I don't really get the over-eating at Christmas tbh.
I've sold Chocolate into the Supermarkets for the last 15 years and it's mental how much we shift in the final week.
Honestly it's mad.I've sold Chocolate into the Supermarkets for the last 15 years and it's mental how much we shift in the final week.
I'm really no Scrooge so this isn't a "bah humbug" thing I just find it crazy how commercialised it's all got and how much pressure a lot of people must feel under to deliver some perfect family feast.
davek you do have point but in my defence I walked there to collect an item and I had one thing I needed to try to grab whilst I was there as I wasn't sure of stock elsewhere.
Not quite the same as the carnage that most people seemed determined to put themselves through
Supermarkets are open every day, for hours, yet it seems people can't help but all want to go at the same time. It's not difficult to miss the manic peaks.
And they can't plan ahead either, like stuff isnt on the shelves well before.
Also good luck with last minute supermarket orders, you might miss joining the crush but you're still fighting over the same pile of stock that may or may not exist.
And they can't plan ahead either, like stuff isnt on the shelves well before.
Also good luck with last minute supermarket orders, you might miss joining the crush but you're still fighting over the same pile of stock that may or may not exist.
It’s all the weight of expectation, “ that’s what we’ve always done” “so and so would be upset”
People never put themselves first, I remember the horror on my sister face when I told her I was going to gran caneria for Christmas, and ever since I’ve opted out, either going out on Christmas Day, or going away
It’s great, no present buying, no mad dash around the shops, this year we’re staying home apart from the meal so I’ve just done a Ocado shop
I don’t eat chocolate the rest of the year so don’t buy loads at Christmas, never put on any weight over the period and I’m not skint all January either
People I see who are stressed seem to be because they can’t say no, who wants to cook for 15 people?!
People never put themselves first, I remember the horror on my sister face when I told her I was going to gran caneria for Christmas, and ever since I’ve opted out, either going out on Christmas Day, or going away
It’s great, no present buying, no mad dash around the shops, this year we’re staying home apart from the meal so I’ve just done a Ocado shop
I don’t eat chocolate the rest of the year so don’t buy loads at Christmas, never put on any weight over the period and I’m not skint all January either
People I see who are stressed seem to be because they can’t say no, who wants to cook for 15 people?!
Our local large Tesco doesn't have a big enough car park for this sort of peak demand. With one way in and out the whole thing gets completely gridlocked (and I mean up to an hour to get put once you're in) I get up mega early to get the shop done before Xmas to avoid it - but you still have the annoyance of the online shop pickers inside. Go later and the shelves are decimated.
Alickadoo said:
croyde said:
What gets me is that the shops are only closed for ONE day, yet people have been going bonkers at my local supermarkets for weeks now.
The strange thing is that a similar thing happened last year and, if I am not mistaken, the year before that too. 
I normally work Christmas just to avoid the whole rigmarole, or go abroad.
Being retired we go food shopping on a Wednesday morning every week. Normally I would guess about 20-30 other shoppers in the local Tesco in the nearest small town.
It was heaving this week.
I really don't understand it as we don't make any more extra shopping trips before or during the Christmas season.
Why?
It was heaving this week.
I really don't understand it as we don't make any more extra shopping trips before or during the Christmas season.
Why?
If I ever have the misfortune to need to visit a supermarket Saturday lunchtime I'm always surprised how many clearly retired people choose to go then when they could go anytime compared to say a family shopping - although when we did use supermarkets we'd go Monday evening as a family. Fortunately since home delivery started a decade ago we've knocked that on the head too only need to pop in for the odd item which is tolerable.
Every week, come rain or shine, I do my weekly shop at 6am on a Saturday morning, right when the local Tesco opens.
This morning, it was full of smug gits - and quite a few couples - just wondering around the place full of how proud they were to have managed to get up that early once in the year, and to do their Christmas shop to boot. The place was starting to get busy as I was leaving and the regulars could not be seen through the crowd.
It's nuts. And more than a bit silly. But, for some, I guess it's part of "the experience."
This morning, it was full of smug gits - and quite a few couples - just wondering around the place full of how proud they were to have managed to get up that early once in the year, and to do their Christmas shop to boot. The place was starting to get busy as I was leaving and the regulars could not be seen through the crowd.
It's nuts. And more than a bit silly. But, for some, I guess it's part of "the experience."
croyde said:
I normally work Christmas just to avoid the whole rigmarole, or go abroad.
I used to offer to cover the office at Xmas an everybody would think i was some kind of hero ! It was great, peace and quiet, almost zero work, nobody emailing or calling you, the office full of boxes of quality street / roses. the drive in was also great because most people were on holiday.We thought we'd avoid the saturday rush by going on friday - it was still jam-packed. On the plus side all that spending can only be good for the economy.
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