Supermarket Snobbery 2

I’ve probably used Waitrose and M&S more than anywhere else during lockdown, primarily as queues were shorter or often non-existent.

Local Sainsburys drives me bonkers largely due to staff attitudes - they all wander around nattering with only 1 or 2 people on the checkout when it’s busy. They’ve done it out recently, moved everything around - much worse than before.

M&S must have rearranged their aisles half a dozen times during the pandemic which is stupid as people then spend more time looking for items they regularly purchase which have moved to a different location.

Interesting – perhaps it’s because of where I live, but the biggest queues were outside M&S and (still!) Waitrose. There are never queues at Aldi, perhaps everyone round here is a supermarket snob…

I really ought to do more online shopping as I’m something of a ‘browser’ when it comes to food and often buy too much when I see things I like. Very easy to go in for one or two items and come out with a £100+ bill when I visit M&S or Waitrose, it’d be very hard to do that in Tesco or Sainsburys.

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That’s what Mrs HH says about me! It all looks so nice that I just pop it in the basket. So she does the weekly shopping - it’s safer that way.

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Waitrose seem to have rebranded their organic stuff with different logos, oddly things don’t look as appealing with the different colour scheme. I like their non-homogenised organic milk but others don’t like the creamy lumps.

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I think we could save a small fortune if I let Mrs AC do all the shopping. I do most of the food shopping, she tends to use completely different stores to me.

I really ought to use the Morrisons free delivery service on Amazon - I really don’t like the store much, but they are pretty good for fresh produce and very inexpensive.

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I suspect I save more than the pick fee in avoiding impulse purchases. When the supermarkets figure that out, on-line ordering might become more expensive. Really, who needs single malt flavored marmalade…

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Thankfully Fortnum & Mason do Internet orders, especially relevant with longer days and al fresco friendly weather returning. The Piccadilly Vegan Picnic being a firm favourite for the longer days of Summer.

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We predominately use very ‘local’ providers, so butcher, fishmonger, delicatessen, bakery, farm shop, wine/whisky shop, milk lady - who delivers fresh milk, eggs, & orange juice. Prob less cost overall as we have very little waste - food, time, & travel…and its very likely more ‘eco friendly’…
There was a time before Supermarkets…

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The little local shops like the greengrocer, butcher, farm shops and bakers mostly require you to have some insider knowledge as to when the best day and time to pop in to get what they have to offer is at its best. As well as a little haggle on the price if it’s not.
Occasionally when short of cash, they can put you in the books to pay off later. Being snobbish in these situations doesn’t help much when your on a first name relationship with them.

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Interesting Fortnum and Mason. Reassuring to hear there is an alternative to Waitrose :grin:

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We may be limited in our ability to entertain currently but there are standards to maintain!

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I say. A bit stingy with the wine.

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Sorry but Waitrose every time. The reason you spend more at Waitrose is because they have more really nice stuff to put in your trolley! I’d struggle with the ‘other’ 'markets to spend £200 but it’s certainly possible at Waitrose! One problem though is you often spend a hundred quid at Waitrose and find you’ve only got enough actual food for three days. The rest is all the luxury items you’ve also thrown in the trolley! :wink:

As has been mentioned above, it’s a nicer environment and the staff and customers are nicer. I could also mention some sexist comments re. the other shoppers but I won’t :wink:

Story… went in Morrisons the other day… a quick visit to get some bread rather than longer drive the Waitrose. There were loads of customers not wearing face masks! WTF? The staff couldn’t care less. No one on the door checking. In the end we walked out without the bread and the next day we went to Waitrose.

and what do the say about Sainsburys…? It’s good for keeping the riff-raff out of Waitrose :wink:

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I asked for Vogel’s bread in Tesco once…

shop worker

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Went to Sainsburys the other day and there was some audio droning on about shopping alone, being responsible and safe, blah, blah, blah - it just seemed quite over the top and preachy in a rather condescending manner. They’ve also gone completely woke, well a bit anyway…

I was in Wicke’s on the weekend and could not believe the audio playing asking you to report other customers to the store manager immediately if you thought another customer had said something rude/offensive, insensitive or racist - I’m not trying to excuse any bad behaviour and can’t remember the exact phrases used, but a store encouraging customers to monitor others and ‘report them’, what on earth is happening to society?

The closest Tesco is in a more disadvantaged area and the aisles are packed to suit the characters who go shopping in their pyjamas and slippers (I’m serious as I’ve seen people do this). The ‘nicer one’ is much busier but has a far better range of products. Rarely use Tesco though.

Looks nice.

I’m going to stick up for Tesco here. Their products are good generally and they keep a very wide range. Our local store is also the closest store for the University, so their foreign food offerings are exceptional, far wider range of relevant imported branded and own brand products than Waitrose. Their fresh food is at least fresh, much fresher than our local farmer’s market which is twice the price, but Tesco isn’t always as tasty, so you need to be careful.

The big problem with our local Tesco is that it is right next to our large regional hospital and so between the University and the hospital it feels rather on the front line for Covid, although to be fair the University is totally clamped down with asymptomatic testing resources and practical support services for those testing positive so they can properly self-isolate and if necessary fight being ill with real support.

So having weekly deliveries from Tesco and shopping for extras from Waitrose and local shops suits us very well. I wouldn’t want to lose the Tesco.

Best

David

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