This post is written for Fandango’s One-Word Challenge, contemplate.
Tesco’s is the market-leading British supermarket. Actually, there are four or five other biggies, but Tesco has grown to be about the biggest. After that, there are maybe twice as many again smaller chains.
Sunday retail laws (which have not been suspended, but which now seem crazy) stipulate that big shops (such as most Tesco branches) may only open for six hours on a Sunday. The exact hours are flexible, but most retailers (including Tesco) open between 10am and 4pm.
As a result of the virus outbreak and the subsequent wave of panic buying, Tesco announced that they would reserve a special interval exclusively for NHS workers. They set it to Sundays at 9am-10am. They would still observe Sunday Trading laws and open the tills at 10am, but would allow people to browse (i.e. put groceries into their trolley, but not to check out) from 9am.
Because we thought that this time slot represented the best combination of (a) least competition whilst shopping and (b) most groceries being available on the shelves of the supermarket, my wife (who works for the NHS) and I contemplated doing our grocery shopping during this hour. When we arrived, this was the scene that greeted us:
Postscript
The queue into the shop was 30 minutes, but once in the shop we were able to get what was basically a full week’s grocery shop, including bread and milk. We did not even bother looking for toilet roll. We’re still only buying a week at a time, because that’s the most responsible approach. The exception is cat food, which is also in short supply. And, I don’t dare tell the cats that their breakfast has been cancelled! Even that, we have accumulated maybe a month’s supply, which is not particularly abnormal for us. Lots of humans have died from this virus, but cats will come out of it fatter than ever – provided they learn how to open the packets 😆.
By the time we left the shop, the queue had died down, but equally, the essential goods had mostly been purchased.
The one thing which was pleasant about doing the shopping was that there was a lot less traffic than usual.
If anybody is interested, I will not be posting my usual Who Won the Week post this evening. What’s the point when there is just one thing on the News? So I’m thinking I will suspend that until life gets a little more normal. Equally, it seems dumb to write a post just to say I won’t be writing a post, hence my tagging it onto this post.
Mister Bump 
Wow! Those queues. We couldn’t possibly on anything like that. Both in wheelchairs lol. But I an SO glad you got what you needed Pete. Good ‘on you
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I know they also set aside time on Mon, Wed, Fri for elderely and vulnerable, but what’s the betting that is exactly the same?
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It wilk be, abd has been this last week. There is no way me and my husbabd can get to something like that, ut worrues me that no one wilk understand that and help us. I can hardly get out of bed many days, and he cannot leave me alone. We truly cannot afford to have contact with ANTpyBODY because people are infectous before symptoms show. We wilk see if Tescos brings us anything in our Order on Monday night. I am truly scared. But glad that you got your stuff. It us hard fir everybody xx
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If all else fails give Age UK a call.
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We will, but the good news is that hubby just this minute rang a leader in one of the churches here, asked for help, and they will help. Hooray!!!
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Sadly our local store posted an early time for the elderly/at risk. The problem is that they say it is a “suggestion” for the elderly. Meaning anyone can ignore the suggestion and go early anyway. Oy vey.
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They started off last week saying “over 70s”, but left out vulnerable, so it was all halk-baked. Plus, how would anyone prove that? seems impractical. At least the NHS thing, they all have ID cards and had to show them at the door.
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Great idea.
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even that, though, I’m thinking “what about other priority workers?” It’s not an exact science. I was pleasantly surprised by the amount on the shelves, though. The politicians keep telling us that there is not actually a food shortage, maybe there is something in that?
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Hope so
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Words. It’s so funny to me how we people say the same thing using different words. Que=waiting in line. I learned this when I went to Wimbledon my first time. I Que’d for hours literally to get into Wimbledon then again to get into EVERY court on the grounds. 🤦🏽♀️🤦🏽♀️🤦🏽♀️🤦🏽♀️🤦🏽♀️. I’d que right now to see some tennis right now tho and wouldn’t complain not one bit. 🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽
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We are the masters of queuing!
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I know right
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Oh the supermarkets, it’s a worldwide problem it seems. Here people over 60 can go shopping between 8am and 9 am. NHS workers can go anytime without the que. Now they’ve announced that there will be no discounts made public to temper the hoarding. We go once every week and a half.
I’m glad that the cats are befitting from this 😄 it seems nature overall seems to be restoring quickly because of the economy being low. We have way more birds and I’ve seen different kinds.
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As far as I can tell, every scheme is flawed somehow.
I am so happy because we did not see Lola since we came back from this shop – about 30 hours ago. But she just turned up safe and well and hungry. It is unusual because she never goes out for more than a few hours, We think she must have been trapped in a garage somewhere. But fortunately she is back. I am so relieved.
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I can imagine, the poor thing. I hope she stays safe, can come back when she wants and doesn’t get trapped again. 💛
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She was hungry and thirsty but she is happy now sitting right next to me. She does not like the competition of the keyboard!
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😁😁😁
😸🤍
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…but now she has decided that lying by the radiator is better! Lola has always been like that – if she wants a fuss, it is for 5 minutes only.
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