People have been noticing a “glum” atmosphere while shopping in supermarkets recently as food prices rise.
Posting on the 'am I being unreasonable' thread on Mumsnet, one woman wrote: “I don’t think I’m imagining this but I’ve started to notice over the last month or two an almost gloomy muted atmosphere in the supermarkets where I live. It’s pretty noticeable that people are now conscious of the rising prices, the mood is almost sombre and tense as they’re shopping. Has anyone else noticed something similar? M&S, Sainsbury's, Tesco and Co-op all feel very different, you can tell people are worried about the prices they’re seeing.
“That excitement of popping treats into the trolley has gone for so many, doing the weekly shop has now become a challenge to simply spend the least amount but make the shop last longer. People's behaviour has changed massively.
“Does anyone work in any of the stores and notice the same?”
Mumsnet users shared their similar experiences. One user commented: “I was in Morrisons today and there was a lady putting the reduced to clear stuff out. There were barriers around her which I have never seen before. I wanted to have a nosy at what was there but thought I’d return in a bit. I went down the next aisle to look at some other stuff and returned to it - five full shelves cleared in a minute! I’ve not seen that before.”
Another commented: “Yes I know where you’re coming from, I’ve heard comments like ‘buy that one, that one’s cheaper’ and just people shaking their heads and looking fed up. We shop at Sainsburys and are not rich. We have shopped around all of them recently and Sainsbury’s is consistently cheaper, with more deals, price match Aldi and the stuff is better quality and lasts longer.”
One user claimed: “I've been in Tesco when the reduced goods have come out. They pull all the stuff to be reduced off the shelves, back into the warehouse, price it up there and bring it out with security guards.”
Many people shared how they were struggling to afford to buy food without it being discounted. One person commented: “As a person who has yellow stickered my whole life, I'm finding it tough.”
Another mentioned her experience at Morrisons: “I’ve noticed that all of the cheaper brands are missing from the shelves with only the more expensive ones available.” While another user said: “It’s so sad but also bloody scary. I have a good career and I am worried. It should not be like this! I'm worried about lots of people I know.”
Another added: “Yes, I've noticed the poor state of fruit and veg recently, too. People seem to hovering a bit longer and comparing prices as opposed to just grabbing the usual and moving on.”
But some people feel that the mood while food shopping remains the same as usual. One user said: “I can’t say I’ve noticed a low mood, but then I find supermarkets unbearably garish and overwhelming anyway. I sort of shut down a bit in them.”
Another user said: “Can't say I've noticed anything different and I've been able to get what I want. Can still get a shop in at under £100 a week and haven't had to make noticeable changes. That said, Sainsbury's haven't had squirty cream for over a month now.”
One person agreed, saying: “What I have noticed is stock is an issue. Things are out of stock for weeks on end. Aldi can be like that, but huge gaps on shelves, and not just in Aldi. Morrisons and Tesco too. I’ve never seen that before. I’m not sure if it’s stock availability, or staff to close the gaps and make it look full - they used to be so hot on that.”
A person who works part-time in a supermarket replied, saying: “We are short staffed but have been recruiting. Some gaps on shelves but that seems to be easing. Almost every customer remarks on the increased cost of their shopping.”
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