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

olgadapolga

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.

It's not that clear cut, though.

I have a car and can walk around a shop. I'm not going to though as a) the people in my town don't understand the meaning of "social distancing and think that mask = protected; b) I have a medically-supressed immune system which means that I am vulnerable to becoming seriously ill if I catch any viruses, not just covid; c) my consultant has told me that I don't need to isolate from the world as long as I stay away from busy places such as supermarkets; d) I have a young family who actually need their mum alive and well, not sick, in hospital or worse and e) the supermarkets are quite happy to take my money to pay for a delivery, as are all the other online retailers.

To the OP: dump the "friends". You don't need judgemental people like that in your life. End of.

Bogof_OAP

Wow more support from all but one.  Definitely is the season of goodwill!  The good thing about online friends is you can ignore them if you want and they won't know why, even if they notice.  I will give it a couple of days then start casually responding again (we have a WhatsApp group, you can make general comments without singling out individuals so I will choose my words carefully!)

KxMx

I agree what these people said is out of order, but perhaps being online friends they may not be aware of what is (or rather isn't) available to you locally? 

Pollycat

I missed the bit about 'online friends'.

I'd probably refer to people like that as acquaintances rather than friends.

As most of us have noticed on here, people online tend to be more outspoken than in RL.

I would certainly have not let it go if it had been a 'proper' friend and face-to-face.

MoonChild91

I've been getting my groceries delivered since way before March and I don't feel bad about it. There are only express shops and a co op near me, and I don't drive. I could walk to the bigger shops and stock up for a few days at a time but I'd honestly rather not go to a supermarket 4 or 5 times a month. You're definitely doing nothing wrong!
I was for some reason put on the priority delivery slots list when lockdown started, which I used to shop for my parents in another city - they've never done online ordering and couldn't set up accounts as many supermarkets stopped new users signing up. They're 70 and 74 and my dad has a cardiovascular condition, so I didn't want them going to the shops, and I felt like they were entitled to use it!
Everyone is just doing the best they can at the minute really, and that looks different for everyone - certainly wouldn't let anyone make you feel bad about doing what you feel more comfortable with. 

Bogof_OAP

Pollycat said:

I missed the bit about 'online friends'.

I'd probably refer to people like that as acquaintances rather than friends.

As most of us have noticed on here, people online tend to be more outspoken than in RL.

I would certainly have not let it go if it had been a 'proper' friend and face-to-face.

When I say online, we got together in a private group as a spin-off from another forum about 17 years ago, we are all spread throughout the country (although one has recently moved quite close to me) and have met up numerous times over the years.  We treat eachother as family, have seen eachother through thick and thin, crises, bereavements, good times and bad.  So I suppose it's okay to say it as you see it occasionally, but it just rankled yesterday.  The topic has been dropped and I won't refer to my booked deliveries in future!

od244051

Only times I have used online shopping was when I was recovering from various surgeries - unable to drive. My parents sometimes bought me things when they visited the supermarket themselves. I didn't want my mum question me why I bought certain products.

BooJewels

People who are already classed as extremely vulnerable, as is my husband, were already allocated regular slots in March/April and we have been using them ever since - they've been extended, but now I pay for it - at a premium too, as the only slot available to me at the time happened to be an expensive one - not that I mind at all, I'm still well in credit after something like 18 freebies.  So any slots still available are free to be taken by whoever wants them and is willing to pay their fee.  You just don't have to justify it to anyone.  

I've not been inside a shop since February and whilst that is largely for selfish reasons, to keep my husband safe, I also see it as a public service too - one less person out and about potentially spreading the virus.  And those of us that really don't want to shop in person have honed methods to ensure that we're fully stocked and shop efficiently.  I only get an Asda order once a fortnight (I chose not to have one every week, to release an additional opportunity for someone else on the intervening weeks) and just have to be a bit more organised and methodical in my planning and shopping.  It removes spontaneity, but we've not gone hungry by any means.  So I would suggest that anyone who is properly vulnerable and in actual need of shopping slots (some stores offer them to us in advance of going public too, like Iceland), already has it well covered - we've had quite a while to get practiced at it by now.

Bogof_OAP

I get bombarded with emails from Iceland offering me "lots of slots still available", and when I click on my account sure enough I could take my pick usually.  However they used to cross lots of things off and don't have much choice at the best of times, which is why I was getting an occasional Tesco where I could.  Paying £4.50 regardless now, they have done away with the cheap slots.

BooJewels

These things must vary from area to area. I've actually been very impressed with Iceland - I rarely get any subs, very few items short and they've already increased their ranges since I've been shopping this year. Their web site is a joy to use (i.e. it's simple, but fast and efficient) and I've been really impressed with the quality v price.

My Asda shopping however is becoming increasingly fraught - it keeps flashing up telling me that my slot is full and my order will be delivered from elsewhere and therefore some products I've ordered won't be available and gives me a pop up list of about a dozen or more items to amend.  So I do a manual sub before I checkout, it then subs those with the items I did originally want and it all comes from my usual local store each time anyway.  So it's a bit of a lottery with each order - never quite sure what I'm going to get.  On average I have 6 or 7 subs or missing items from Asda (and whilst they used to be pretty sensible, some recently have been pretty silly) and one at most per order from Iceland.