Moral dilemma - am I wrong to have groceries delivered when I could get out to shop?

Bogof_OAP

Thanks everyone.  Glad you all feel I haven't done anything wrong.  I had to pop down to the Co-op for milk today, and just carrying that (4-pints) and a couple of other things back up was enough for me.  The friends in question are online ones, we've been a little group for many years and rarely actually see eachother, so I am not going to lose sleep over it.

nannywindow

Just popping in to give my support to Bogof_OAP. I wouldn't want friends like that, IMO true friends give support no matter what.

MysteryMe

You are not taking anyone's slot, what a shame you've been made to feel that you have done something wrong.
Most supermarkets have really upped their game with increasing online capacity.
Enjoy your Christmas OP

warby68

I'm sure the supermarkets don't want to replace their entire regular online shopping base with vulnerable people who may well return to whatever they did before when this is over.
They have allocated some slots to regulars and some to vulnerable and increased their capacity as well as putting in other measures to restrict availability when necessary. Tesco, for eg,  have variously limited the number of items, reduced forward slot availability and put a minimum time between one delivery and the next to help ration but availability has been roughly back to normal for some time now. They also suspended their Delivery Saver service for a while but that too came back eventually - this allows a shop every day.
Sounds a bit 'mean girls' to me.

mufi

Sainsbury's delivery slots here certainly are not over-subscribed by the vulnerable - they're giving away free ones if you can have your delivery at crack of dawn or late evening; I've got one coming over the next hour. They've also introduced 4 hour flexi slots for £1, hardly indicative that they're deluged with housebound people in desperate need. 

Dump the 'friends', not the deliveries...

Pollycat

Glad to read a MSE dilemma that really is a dilemma.

The dilemma isn't if you should use home delivery - you most certainly should - but whether you should continue calling those people friends.

od244051

I find it wrong if anyone is booking slots when they have a car and able to walk about a shop. Though don't mind people doing an online shop every 4-6 weeks for heavy things such as cans, jars, bottles of washing liquid/fabric conditioner if they don't have a car.
Leave the slots to those who are unable to get out such as long term health issues and self isolating households.

elsien

od244051 said:

I find it wrong if anyone is booking slots when they have a car and able to walk about a shop. Though don't mind people doing an online shop every 4-6 weeks for heavy things such as cans, jars, bottles of washing liquid/fabric conditioner if they don't have a car.
Leave the slots to those who are unable to get out such as long term health issues and self isolating households.

That’s good of you. 

There are far more delivery slots available than there are people with health issues/isolating households. 

in_my_wellies

mufi said:

Sainsbury's delivery slots here certainly are not over-subscribed by the vulnerable - they're giving away free ones if you can have your delivery at crack of dawn or late evening; I've got one coming over the next hour. They've also introduced 4 hour flexi slots for £1, hardly indicative that they're deluged with housebound people in desperate need. 

Dump the 'friends', not the deliveries...

Of course the OP is right to book a delivery

Interesting what you say about Sainsbury's having slots mufi. I was a regular monthly Sainsbury's shopper for food, petrol and have their credit card. I'd used delivery a few times in the past. At the start of lockdown I couldn't get a slot because 'nobody in the household fitted the profile' and I didn't have a vulnerable letter. I rang as my mum is 88, has dementia and cannot be left alone, but still no joy. I looked a few times but could never book a slot so I started to use Tesco instead which works for me. I've just checked and no slots at Sainsbury's but I'm not surprised this week. 

warby68

od244051 said:

I find it wrong if anyone is booking slots when they have a car and able to walk about a shop. Though don't mind people doing an online shop every 4-6 weeks for heavy things such as cans, jars, bottles of washing liquid/fabric conditioner if they don't have a car.
Leave the slots to those who are unable to get out such as long term health issues and self isolating households.

You do realise that supermarkets have to have a more substantial customer base before, during and after the pandemic? 
They are businesses not public services