SUPERMARKET PRIORITY DELIVERY SLOTS FOR CLINICALLY VULNERABLE FOR CHRISTMAS WEEK

Kazza52

Hi all,

Last Friday one of the leading supermarkets released their Christmas delivery slots and I tried to log onto the website but without success. When I finally managed to log on yesterday all the Christmas slots were unavailable. What is of concern is that the priority slots for the clinically vulnerable were released at the same time as the other slots and people who are unable to shop instore because of shielding, etc, were unable to get a slot. I have not set foot in a supermarket since February this year.

I have emailed the supermarket in question and asked why the priority slots could not have been released on Friday and remaining slots released the following day. That would allow clinically vulnerable people to stand a chance of getting their shopping delivered in time for Christmas. I have not had a response.

Has anyone experienced any issues too.

Stay safe everyone

Karen x🐶

stickywicket

I can only speak of the 'orange' supermarket who emailed me their Christmas booking dates a couple of weeks ago and reminded me recently. They open next weekend so I don't know how good / bad they'll be or how other supermarkets are operating. I have to say mine has been very good throughout. I was with them pre-covid, they know I'm a 'shielder' and there was just a couple of week's glitches right at the start of covid as loads of others opted for deliveries.

Kazza52

Thanks Stickywicket will see if I have success with the "orange" supermarket next weekend.

Stay safe,

Kind regards,

Karen 🐶

Mike1

I don't get anything special food-wise for the "festive" period anyway, other than a tin of Red Salmon for Vixen and I have that in the cupboard already!

frogmorton

Hi @Kazza52 I managed to get a slot for 23rd by logging on at 6am one morning last week. I was extremely worried prior to that as they had all gone and like you am absolutely NOT going in a supermarket😕

Not the orange supermarket...I suppose it would be blue😁

Brynmor

I know you are all concerned about not advertising a particular supermarket, but there is no harm in actually naming them when discussing what delivery slots are available.

I guess the "orange" supermarket is Sainsbury's and the "blue" one is Tesco? Please correct me if I'm wrong...

stickywicket

Thanks, Brynmor. I'm never 100% sure and, as I was kind-of promoting it, I thought I'd aim for safety.

KAZZA52 - Sorry, that was not quite accurate. It seems these early booking slots are only for those who have a current delivery pass. I'm not sure when others are allowed to book. Have you thought of getting a delivery pass for any supermarket? We've done it for four years. It certainly beats traipsing round shops.

frogmorton

Mine was not for older people nor those completely clinically vulnerable @Kazza52 and was with Tesco.

Thanks @Brynmor

Mike1

I have just booked a slot from ASDA and the closest to xmas I could get is the 18th Dec. Good job I don't get anything special and it is a waste of time ordering anything fresh for the following week. just as well I reply on frozen and ready meals! And they have almost doubled their delivery charges - not that they are taking advantage of course!!

stickywicket

This might help:

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/news/2020/11/supermarkets-christmas-delivery-opening-dates/

Sh8ron

You unfortunately may have left it a bit late now. A few weeks back I emailed 2 large supermarket chains explaining why I thought (in very basic terms) why I should have priority slots and both granted them. I still have to look well ahead and frankly there don't appear to be many more slots, but I've covered myself for Christmas food, either click and collect (I can drive and they'll load the car if you ask) or delivery. I think at the moment one needs to spread ones loyalty beyond your usual supermarket and just get what you can! Gives me a chance to try new foods too. Best of luck to you. 🍎🥕🍏

frogmorton

I am using two @Sh8ron

Tesco who have basically kept me going and Ocado who have not been as good for me at all sadly, but used to be the only store I ever bought online from.

Like you pusskin on your avatar 🙂 never ever forget the cat food!

Mike1

No joy on getting a delivery xmas week from any supermarket down here now so no fresh food after the 18th Dec. No transport to get to the supermarket myself since the DVLA took my driving licence away on disability grounds and it is £30 for a round trip by taxi, that is if I can get the one taxi down here that can take me in my wheelchair. Never mind, I am a grumpy old git at the best of times! Yo ho ruddy ho!

stickywicket

Mike, back in March, round here (Scottish Borders) there were a lot of organisations and individuals who volunteered to deliver to those who were vulnerable. I'd guess that many still will and a bit of digging might unearth contacts willing to make a one-off Christmas delivery. A local church or foodbank might be a start.

Also, didn't you once say yourlocal store was happy to pack your order in bags for you to just pick up? Would that help? Some fresh things (bread, milk) can be frozen in advance. Actually (a tip I picked up from my Californian son) bread keeps well for a week just in the fridge. We even have an 'emergency' small turkey crown in the freezer just in case of problems.

As you well know, our minds have to be far more flexible than our bodies but at least arthritis does teach us that valuable lesson 😉

Mike1

I have just been up my village shop to get some bread so now I have some in the freezer too. I told them about being unable to get a supermarket delivery and they have offered to get me anything I want so problem solved, not that I want much anyway as it is only me and the cat.

stickywicket

😊😊😊

Excellent news, Mike. Well done and, if it's not too early, have a good Christmas.

scotleag

I normally don't think about Xmas until December 1st but this year for obvious reasons is different. I experienced the same problem as Kazza52. I received an email from Waitrose saying Xmas slots were open. I read the email half an hour after it had been sent, logged on immediately to find all slots for the week preceding Xmas fully booked. Inside half an hour! I contacted them and was told that while 'vulnerable' were given priority in that slots were opened up before the general public that it didn't apply to Xmas and all customers were notified at the same time. Even so, half an hour and they were all gone.

Of the other big supermarkets that deliver in my area Sainsbury's have been best as far as regular delivery is concerned but they too don't do anything reserved for vulnerable customers over Xmas and I think today (Sunday now) is the first day you can book. So to be on the safe side I took the nearest Tesco date I could get - Dec 20th. The downside is I have to settle for an eight-hour delivery window. Still, it's not as if I'll be going anywhere.

In response to Mike1's point, it doesn't really matter if you make a big deal of Xmas or not. What's important is the delivery. If, like us, you've been getting a regular weekly delivery then your chance of that continuing in both the Xmas week and the following week is in jeopardy. Apart from the huge additional ordering going on for Xmas, with Boxing Day being on a Saturday that means a public holiday on Monday 28th Dec & Friday Jan 1st so delivery slots for that week are going to be difficult to find too. So it doesn't matter if you have a big Xmas blowout or not, most of us will still need tea, coffee, milk, eggs, bread etc.

I should add that although it doesn't have the same choice as the big supermarkets I've found Iceland to be most reliable of all. Guaranteed two-hour slots for vulnerable customers, advance warning and free delivery for orders over £35. On that score Sainsbury's can be got for as little as 50p at times and Waitrose is free. But Tesco and Morrison's delivery charges are horrific, in my experience ranging from £4-£6.