Food shopping.

[Not sure if this is in the right section/thread. If it's not, please move it if necessary.]


We have to wake up at 6ish in the morning, to get out the door for about 8am.

If we don't, the selection of items DH and I like dwindles. DH's a lot more health conscious than I am- -and totally loves this American salad stuff that we get from Morrisson's. It's just a bagged mixed salad, but, he loves the veggies in it(lettuce, red onions, bell peppers, carrots, red cabbage) and makes a salad sandwich for his dinner on Saturday and Sunday.

I think of Saturday and Sunday as my days to eat whatever I like, so, I go along on the shopping trip, so that I can choose what I want. For the most part, it's Italian stuff from Morrisson's. Or else random stuff that sounds unusual and I want to try. Or, like on last week's homesick weekend, Spam fritters. (I know, I know. But, it was soo yummy!)

We get our weekly sandwich meats from Mark's and Spencer's, sometimes with extra bits and pieces if we want. Yes, it's a bigger price tag than other shops, but, we both think the food's so much nicer-and the meat doesn't have extra ingredients that we don't like/need.

Here's the rant. 6-freaking-am?! REALLY?! For crying out loud! I don't like waking up at that time during the work week. Why the heck should I have to wake up that stupid early on Saturday?! I do realize,like I said, if we don't get out to the shops that early, we won't get anything. Not to mention that the shops get so crowded with people that you can't even see straight, never mind steer a shopping cart! I don't understand why it's like this. Why don't things get replenished like they do in the States? Aren't there enough people working in the stock rooms to bring stuff out? Don't the delivery trucks come at the same time every day? When DH came to visit me in California, there'd be times when we'd go to the local grocery store at like, 6pm, and the shelves would be just as full as they would've been at opening time. Am I just being whingy?! Is it just up here in the Northwest? In Crewe? So frustrating!!!! There probably aren't any answers. I just wanted to moan a bit. 

I have a theory about this, actually.  I think it's because the shops close so early on weekdays.  If they stayed open later, then people who work wouldn't have to do all their shopping on Saturdays.  This may not be so applicable to supermarkets since many of them have later closing times, but I definitely think that the mad Saturday crush on the high street can be attributed to working couples not having the option to get anything accomplished after work. 

Shop opening hours is the one thing about the UK that I really really hate. 

I have a theory about this, actually.  I think it's because the shops close so early on weekdays.  If they stayed open later, then people who work wouldn't have to do all their shopping on Saturdays.  This may not be so applicable to supermarkets since many of them have later closing times, but I definitely think that the mad Saturday crush on the high street can be attributed to working couples not having the option to get anything accomplished after work. 

Shop opening hours is the one thing about the UK that I really really hate. 

That does make a lot of sense. Plus, things closing down so early on Sundays doesn't help. Our Morrison's have started staying open until 8pm. If there's only one delivery during the day, though, logically, the store can't really stay fully stocked for everyone in the community. People just don't plan things out properly, do they? *sigh*

I'm not sure I'm quite understanding the 6am bit. Do you mean you have to get up at 6am to be out of the house by 8??

I think she means they have to leave the house by 8 am to get to Morrisons in time (early), or else the stuff they like is all sold out & doesn't seem to get replenished.

I don't have this problem with either of our Morrisons (city centre or the one by where we live) - I go at all different times of the day, different days & usually find what I need.

I've had more trouble with the Sainsburys shelves being bare of whatever it is I'm looking for, on the odd occasions when I go there for something I can't get at Morrisons or elsewhere. 

I think she means they have to leave the house by 8 am to get to Morrisons in time (early), or else the stuff they like is all sold out & doesn't seem to get replenished.

I got that, but I don't understand why that means getting up at 6am. Two hours to get ready?? Why not just roll out of bed at 7:45 and go?

I'm not sure I'm quite understanding the 6am bit. Do you mean you have to get up at 6am to be out of the house by 8??

Yeah, 6am-ish. Not dead on, but, close enough. Then shower, eat breakfast, make shopping list. We're not terribly efficient, to be fair. Today, we got out of the house for the shops about 8:30/9:00.

Yeah, 6am-ish. Not dead on, but, close enough. Then shower, eat breakfast, make shopping list. We're not terribly efficient, to be fair. Today, we got out of the house for the shops about 8:30/9:00.

Well, you could make a list the night before, do like chary said and roll out of bed at 7:45 and go.  Then when you get back shower, have a nice relaxing coffee time and breakfast, etc.

I understand people hating the limited shop opening hours here, but I work retail (and have done most of my life) so I like it!!

Well, you could make a list the night before, do like chary said and roll out of bed at 7:45 and go.  Then when you get back shower, have a nice relaxing coffee time and breakfast, etc.

I understand people hating the limited shop opening hours here, but I work retail (and have done most of my life) so I like it!!

Yes, I know, you're both right, Chary and Andee. We just don't get why it has to be so. Why, if we get up later and go in later are the store shelves so depleted? The over crowding is just the way of things because of work schedules. But logically, store managers would recognize the flow of traffic in their stores, and work in some re-stocking times to fill the gaps, I would think. It doesn't seem to be  done consistently at our stores. It all does my head in! :/

Yes, I know, you're both right, Chary and Andee. We just don't get why it has to be so. Why, if we get up later and go in later are the store shelves so depleted? The over crowding is just the way of things because of work schedules. But logically, store managers would recognize the flow of traffic in their stores, and work in some re-stocking times to fill the gaps, I would think. It doesn't seem to be  done consistently at our stores. It all does my head in! :/

I have to say I've not noticed the depleted shelves thing.  BUT I am fortunate to get my shopping done all week long in bits and pieces (I work half a block from Morrisons so do my shopping after work or before work).

I haven't noticed empty shelves here either, abbygirl. Though I do try and do my shopping early in the morning (especially in the summer because of all the holiday-makers), and I'm lucky in that I can do it during the week rather than on weekends. However, on the occasions when I've had to go later in the day, it's not been a problem - aside from the summer crowds which I really don't enjoy. Also, I try to do most of my fruit & veg shopping at farm shops, so if those are depleted at the supermarket, I might not notice. Mostly what I buy at the supermarket is cleaning products, baking supplies, etc. We don't really buy packaged foods at all - so perhaps those sell out faster than other things?

This must just be something local to where you live, I used to notice this in the supermarkets about 12 years ago, but never noticed it in the last few years. I do live in a big city though and have a lot of choice in supermarkets...but I have never noticed the shelves being depleted at any of my local supermarkets!

I live in London, and every shop around us runs out of notable items (organic milk, fresh vegetables, fruit) during the day on saturday and sunday.  This includes Waitrose, Tesco and Sainsbury.  I shop most every day because of a small frig, but have to be mindful to get those things on friday.

Same in the Cambridge area.  There were only one type of rolls left last night.  Kingsmill 50/50 while rolls.  No brown rolls, no bagels, no "fresh" baked rolls, no hamburger buns, no baps...  Nothing.  And very little bread.

It drives me insane. I know when I worked retail in the UK, we were responsible for noticing that there was something low and ordering it.  In the US the register was connected to a computer which if someone the last x number of an item (it was a bookstore and we had core stock, so if a core book fell below five copies) then it was automatically ordered from the warehouse.

I don't know if that doesn't happen here, or if there isn't enough staff, or if they just don't care because the stores are not open late on Sunday.

Hi,

I dont know whether this would help or not but most supermarkets do online shopping now so there is no running to the shops and all your items get picked fresh before they go out onto the store

I've used it many times in the past and the small fee for delivery is insignificant compared to the time you take to get up early run to the shops pay for petrol time taken etc..... instead I would be in bed still and chill out until my delivery arrived and then just un pack it....

Hope this helps