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Stress-free and safe grocery shopping during the pandemic

COVID-19 has changed the shopping habits of many UK families, at least for the immediate future. It’s almost impossible to shop online and book a slot for either click and collect or for home delivery; so many families have resorted to shopping in stores.

But the shopping dynamics instore have also changed to reduce the risk of people getting too close to one another. The first two large shopping trips I did for our family and an elderly relative were quite stressful. It took me a while to understand the new system.

So I’ve put together a few ideas that may help your shopping experience. And at the bottom of this blog, you’ll also find a few highlights of the new official advice given to shoppers to keep safe during the pandemic.

Please feel free to download and print the sheets in this blog. They are designed to make your life easier. And please share it with friends. They might also find this information useful.

BEFORE YOU GO SHOPPING

The current advice is to minimise your shopping trips as much as possible. So you’ll need to plan your meals ahead of time. Remember to use what you already have at home. Check your freezer and cupboards and the expiry date on all products.

Also, keep in mind supermarkets will most likely ask you to queue outside for a while, keeping a 2-metre distance between shoppers. So you may want to take appropriate clothing for the weather. You don’t want to stand in the cold wishing you had taken a coat with you, or in the blazing sunshine feeling the back of your neck burn.

AT THE SHOPS

The reason why you have to queue outside is that shops want to make sure you have plenty of room at all times to keep your 2-metre distance from other shoppers. This also applies inside, which is why they restrict the number of people allowed instore at any given time.

You’ll want to avoid jumping back and forward between aisles. The idea is to make your shopping trip as efficient as possible, so other shoppers don’t have to wait outside for too long and you don’t cause chaos instore. This is why you’ll make your life a lot easier if you make a shopping list that follows the shop’s layout – so you don’t forget anything and have to go back to a previous aisle.

We’ve researched the layout most commonly followed by shops in the UK and designed a shopping list template to help you plan your trips. You can download it here. Simply fill in the boxes with the items you need from each section.

OTHER THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND

• Avoid busy times. You are likely to have a better experience if you go first thing in the morning or late in the afternoon. BUT check your local stores updated opening hours. Many stores have a slot during the day for the elderly and healthcare workers. And many stores have reduced hours. You can check the opening hours on their websites. We’ve listed below links to the Branch Finders of the main supermarkets in the UK.

Aldi

Asda

Lidl

Sainsbury’s

Tesco

Waitrose

• Try quieter shops and local convenience stores if you can.
• Use home deliveries when possible, there are some super local businesses delivering locally.
• Use the self-checkout, and hand-held scanner if you can. This will minimise the amount of time you are instore queuing.
• Use contactless payment if you can. Or card payments instead of cash when possible.
• Remember many supermarkets allow only one family member in when possible. There has been a lot of controversy on social media about this if you are a single parent. The bottom line is, don’t take children with you IF you can avoid it.
• Take your own bags and if possible, put things directly into the bag (not the trolley or basket), to avoid contamination.
• Most supermarkets will clean every trolley after use. Make sure you take one from the clean line.

NEW ADVICE

While writing this blog, new official advice on how to keep safe while grocery shopping has been published. Below are a few highlights:

• Use your non-dominant hand to pick up goods from the shelves so avoid contamination if you accidentally touch your face.
• Avoid contact with food items by using the tongs and utensils provided. Even plastic food bags.
• When you get home, wipe your items (if possible) with a paper towel and warm soapy water, or leave them in a safe place for 72-hours before storing them.
• Before stocking your fridge and cupboards, wipe all shelves with sanitiser, and discard the paper towel.

Don’t forget to like and follow STAG Mumbler Chat Group for lots of local info.

 

With special thanks to our wonderful sister site, Poole Mumbler for this super blog 💜

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