Bedlam out there already!

DH does our shopping, don't think he has noticed!

Yes, my daughter went to Westfield and said it was very, very crowded. Be funny if retail sales are up this year! Though not very funny if it encourages the Chancellor to put up interest rates.

I went sainsburys at 8.30 and couldn't believe how quiet it was!

Was a nightmare in our local Tesco yesterday. I bought a top and somehow managed to get it home with the tag still on. I couldn't face the crowds again so went back at 11.45pm after a trip somewhere else. The place was deserted. Heaven! A very nice security guard took the tag off for me and even said he didn't need to see the receipt as he 'knew I was honest'. Ah, what a nice man. Shopping in the middle of the night is obviously the way to go.

I did my shop yesterday, not having been able to get my car out for the usual Tuesday trip due to the snow. I noticed just the same as you did, Phoenix - lots of elderly couples blocking the aisles and completely oblivious to any other shoppers needing to get past. However, when I reached the check-out there were 3 cashiers without customers. Now I don't like choosing an empty belt as it makes me feel pressured to unload quickly, so I hung back and tucked it behind another woman.

Phoenix your cracker discussion

Our Tesco's was busier than usual this morning, but not unpleasantly so. There were plenty of staff in cheerful jumpers to make the place look festive and get the checkouts working smoothly. Yesterday Aberdeen was not as busy as I had expected, but I wouldn't want to go there tomorrow, as Saturdays are hectic enough at any time.

Did you find out any more about Maureen's near death experience, phoenix? If there is a dangerous kind of biscuit out there, perhaps we should be told.

Phoenix it’s what happens once we retire!

Can anyone explain to me why people must put their shopping trolleys along the produce display, thus stopping anyone else from reaching the food!

Or sideways across the aisle?

Thank goodness for online shopping! Have done my Xmas present shopping and grocery shop this way for years. Much more civilised

Waitrose seemed busier than usual this morning. Then I remembered. It was Friday and I usually shop on Thursday, so of course it was busier!

My Tesco was very busy this morning but in a Festive way - lots of good sampling and quaffing of Prossecco - at 11 a.m. - purely medicinal of course. And bone-in beef rib at half price.

Shop online. You don’t have to spend money on browsing. And you don’t come back wanting to kill people.?

That should be food sampling - but it was also good!

In our Tesco it is the 'pickers' who abandon their large trolleys that cause havoc. They also stop constantly to talk to each other and shoppers they know.

I get my main shopping online usually but having booked a Tesco delivery today for next week I've found there's quite a few things not available, including turkey. So, this Christmas the online order to miss the crowds is not working. In fact, Tesco online has not be good recently, with quite limited delivery times.

phoenix, I thought it was just me. In fact, when I got home I told dh to stop me going shopping if I become a dithered. It drove me bonkers this morning. If they would move to one side rather than stopping in the middle of the aisle it would help.

I think it's probably too late to get a delivery slot now in time for Christmas!

We are not food shopping this week but have been out quite a lot and the traffic jams are enough to make me want to hibernate.

phoenix

Absolutely crackers!

My last shop before Christmas will be done at around 5am at the 24 hour Tesco. I just can't stand the crowds during peak hours. There will only be shelf stickers to contend with.

Shelf stackers!

shysal

DH does the food shopping at the crack of dawn these days and I try to avoid the need to pop in for something at this time of year. The customers that drive me mad are the couples with an overflowing trolley each. I'm sure they're not feeding the 5000