What are you panic buying?

[Dogsauce]

Since I’ve escaped ‘shielding‘ I planned to pop to the biggish Sainsbury’s about a mile away today to get a few things that you can’t get in Aldi (currants, veggie hot dogs, chewing gum) plus a few other things we’d ran out of. I got there at lunchtime thinking it might be quiet then but the well spaced and not apparently moving queue stretched right out of the shopping centre it lives in and about 50m up the road, maybe about 300m in total. Fuck that. Went to the local coop instead which had a one-person queue. Still missing my hot dogs though.

 

[passenger]

It does if you add plenty of vodka.

It is better Brandy and a couple of valium.

 

[gosub]

It does if you add plenty of vodka.

You are Alexander Lukashenko and I claim my £5

 

[Puddy_Tat]

Since I’ve escaped ‘shielding‘ I planned to pop to the biggish Sainsbury’s about a mile away today to get a few things that you can’t get in Aldi (currants, veggie hot dogs, chewing gum) plus a few other things we’d ran out of. I got there at lunchtime thinking it might be quiet then but the well spaced and not apparently moving queue stretched right out of the shopping centre it lives in and about 50m up the road, maybe about 300m in total. Fuck that. Went to the local coop instead which had a one-person queue. Still missing my hot dogs though.

i'm finding later in the day is best for avoiding queues

 

[Mation]

Since I’ve escaped ‘shielding‘ I planned to pop to the biggish Sainsbury’s about a mile away today to get a few things that you can’t get in Aldi (currants, veggie hot dogs, chewing gum) plus a few other things we’d ran out of. I got there at lunchtime thinking it might be quiet then but the well spaced and not apparently moving queue stretched right out of the shopping centre it lives in and about 50m up the road, maybe about 300m in total. Fuck that. Went to the local coop instead which had a one-person queue. Still missing my hot dogs though.

Sainsbury's own brand veggie hotdogs? Or Quorn bastards? All Sainsbury's near me have stopped doing the own brand (frozen) ones, the only edible veggie hotdogs, meaning the only edible hotdog, and I could weep

 

[Dogsauce]

i'm finding later in the day is best for avoiding queues

not an option on Sunday. Might try tonight.

Doesn’t help that it’s the only larger store in several square miles so will be covering a lot of local demand, people who might have driven somewhere at other times.

 

[Dogsauce]

Sainsbury's own brand veggie hotdogs? Or Quorn bastards? All Sainsbury's near me have stopped doing the own brand (frozen) ones, the only edible veggie hotdogs, meaning the only edible hotdog, and I could weep

I’ll get the Sainsbury’s frozen ones if they have them, but not seen any for a while.

Like a lot of larger urban Sainsbury’s (though still much smaller than the out-of-town sheds) this place is run down to fuck, stock levels have been sketchy since well before Covid. I think they’ve been cutting own brand products for a while, might be connected to the fact they’ve been expected to be taken over by another company at some point.

They do have the Tivali hot dogs which are dead nice but don’t feel good about buying an Israeli brand and they’re a bit of a pricey treat.

 

[Mation]

I’ll get the Sainsbury’s frozen ones if they have them, but not seen any for a while.

Like a lot of larger urban Sainsbury’s (though still much smaller than the out-of-town sheds) this place is run down to fuck, stock levels have been sketchy since well before Covid. I think they’ve been cutting own brand products for a while, might be connected to the fact they’ve been expected to be taken over by another company at some point.

They do have the Tivali hot dogs which are dead nice but don’t feel good about buying an Israeli brand and they’re a bit of a pricey treat.

That's exactly why I don't buy the Tivall hotdogs, too.

And yes, own brand stuff has been vanishing. Hmm.

 

[Lurdan]

Sainsbury's Whitechapel for my weekly shop. Pretty much like last week. More tins and dry pasta on the shelves. They had everything I was after. I'm not into home baking myself (guess it might help if I had a proper oven). I had no idea where the flour was even shelved but I had a look out of curiosity and there was virtually none.

Up till now Whitechapel Road has been very quiet during the lockdown. Very few cars. Quite a few today however and a bit more foot traffic.

And yes, own brand stuff has been vanishing. Hmm.

Been quietly happening for a couple of years - mainly the Sainsbury's Basics lines, leaving the slightly more expensive 'regular' own-branded stuff. Sometimes coincides with the latter being given new packaging. Other stuff I've seen being rebranded under the name of the actual producer rather than given Sainsbury's branding, but otherwise unchanged. Pandemic has just added to this. I notice the inexpensive own brand 'basics' chocolate bars have now gone

 

[Dogsauce]

Sainsbury's Whitechapel for my weekly shop. Pretty much like last week. More tins and dry pasta on the shelves. They had everything I was after. I'm not into home baking myself (guess it might help if I had a proper oven). I had no idea where the flour was even shelved but I had a look out of curiosity and there was virtually none.

Up till now Whitechapel Road has been very quiet during the lockdown. Very few cars. Quite a few today however and a bit more foot traffic.


Been quietly happening for a couple of years - mainly the Sainsbury's Basics lines, leaving the slightly more expensive 'regular' own-branded stuff. Sometimes coincides with the latter being given new packaging. Other stuff I've seen being rebranded under the name of the actual producer rather than given Sainsbury's branding, but otherwise unchanged. Pandemic has just added to this. I notice the inexpensive own brand 'basics' chocolate bars have now gone

they got rid of the basics cheese spread (about 60p) a few years ago and offered no own-brand replacement at all, only Dairylea type stuff at twice the price, one of the reasons I fucked them off and get things at Aldi now.

Sometimes I think they do this stuff in conjunction with brand manufacturers, I first had problems getting their own brand veggie hotdogs at the time the (expensive) quorn fridge ones were launched. They only seemed to reappear last year but then vanished again. Don’t think any other supermarket does own label ones.

(apologies for topic drift!)

 

[wtfftw]

Can't taste them obviously but:

View attachment 210249

Filling is pork and Chinese leaf with garlic and ginger.

Want. And the chilli crisp. I can't get more of that at the mo.

 

[FridgeMagnet]

Every time I go into Sainsbury's, people have to have the new bag rule explained to them (that you have to pay for the bag before you get one; apparently people were nicking them) even though there is a sign on all the self checkouts. Usually it only has to be explained once and the other people in earshot then get it, but I assume the process repeats every time a new set of people gets to the checkouts, all day, plus some people seem extremely dense.

"You have to pay for the bag first, I have to see the receipt and then I give you one."
"Okay." waits for bag
"No, you have to pay for it first. Tell me when you finish and I will look at the screen and bring one over."
"Ah ok right." waits to get bag
"No I can't give you one now you have to pay on the machine and I will check it and give you a bag."
(other customers sometimes chip in)
"Ohhhhhh! Riiiight!"
(Someone else who has not been listening): "Hi can I have a bag please?"

Today someone else in the queue just gave one guy a spare bag they had, to save time.

 

[Epona]

Big shop at Morrison's today.

Still No Flour.
Eggs in short supply there, but I have plenty of those atm.
Failed to get soy sauce, they only had dark and it is light I am nearly out of.

Hit an absolute treasure trove of stuff at the reduced to clear counter however:
Runner beans
Chocolate dessert pot thingies (long date but Olympics branded so they are flogging them off cheap)
Massive tub of "Best" Greek yoghurt (again long date, no idea why reduced)
Large tub of Coleslaw
Scotch eggs
Naan breads
Garlic bread

 

[spitfire]

Sainsbury's Whitechapel for my weekly shop. Pretty much like last week. More tins and dry pasta on the shelves. They had everything I was after. I'm not into home baking myself (guess it might help if I had a proper oven). I had no idea where the flour was even shelved but I had a look out of curiosity and there was virtually none.

Up till now Whitechapel Road has been very quiet during the lockdown. Very few cars. Quite a few today however and a bit more foot traffic.


Been quietly happening for a couple of years - mainly the Sainsbury's Basics lines, leaving the slightly more expensive 'regular' own-branded stuff. Sometimes coincides with the latter being given new packaging. Other stuff I've seen being rebranded under the name of the actual producer rather than given Sainsbury's branding, but otherwise unchanged. Pandemic has just added to this. I notice the inexpensive own brand 'basics' chocolate bars have now gone

they got rid of the basics cheese spread (about 60p) a few years ago and offered no own-brand replacement at all, only Dairylea type stuff at twice the price, one of the reasons I fucked them off and get things at Aldi now.

Sometimes I think they do this stuff in conjunction with brand manufacturers, I first had problems getting their own brand veggie hotdogs at the time the (expensive) quorn fridge ones were launched. They only seemed to reappear last year but then vanished again. Don’t think any other supermarket does own label ones.

(apologies for topic drift!)

I was at a food branding seminar recently and the big 4 are all rebranding their value lines with something that looks like it is from a "proper" food producer.

The Value stuff has a stigma to it that they just can't get around even though most of it is perfectly good.

 

[mx wcfc]

Latest restock.

 

[spitfire]

Nice haul there.

Which reminds me I panic bought 2 x 5 litre kegs of krombacher a couple of weeks ago, Arrived on Friday.

Insert happy face above t-shirt

 

[gosub]

Every time I go into Sainsbury's, people have to have the new bag rule explained to them (that you have to pay for the bag before you get gone; apparently people were nicking them) even though there is a sign on all the self checkouts. Usually it only has to be explained once and the other people in earshot then get it, but I assume the process repeats every time a new set of people gets to the checkouts, all day, plus some people seem extremely dense.

"You have to pay for the bag first, I have to see the receipt and then I give you one."
"Okay." waits for bag
"No, you have to pay for it first. Tell me when you finish and I will look at the screen and bring one over."
"Ah ok right." waits to get bag
"No I can't give you one now you have to pay on the machine and I will check it and give you a bag."
(other customers sometimes chip in)
"Ohhhhhh! Riiiight!"
(Someone else who has not been listening): "Hi can I have a bag please?"

Today someone else in the queue just gave one guy a spare bag they had, to save time.

At our local supermarket they have a plastic bag recycling point, it is right at the far end of the car park. , but I find this telling. Not on covid times, but if Ive forgot bags usually walk up and cut out the middle man by reusing the bags from there.

 

[FridgeMagnet]

I was at a food branding seminar recently and the big 4 are all rebranding their value lines with something that looks like it is from a "proper" food producer.

The Value stuff has a stigma to it that they just can't get around even though most of it is perfectly good.

I did notice that some Sainsbury's products had got a new more minimal design, solid colours and a trendier typeface, though as with everything I expect it will become the new norm in no time.

 

[spitfire]

That was the one, you just reminded me of the example, Sainsbury's chocolate.

They're phasing them in slowly so most people won't notice.


Before


After

 

[Epona]

And then sometimes, just sometimes, you come across a great value bulk deal somewhere unexpected due to changes in the usual distribution chain, such as stuff that would normally go direct to restaurants.

Large vine tomatoes:
Iceland £2.78/kg
Sainsburys £3.78/kg
Morrisons £2.80/kg
Tesco £2.38/kg

My local offie - These 5 delicious looking kilos (2 layers in the box) of large vine tomatoes for £5.99 = £1.20/kg.
Yes fucking please, and thank you

 

[WouldBe]

That was the one, you just reminded me of the example, Sainsbury's chocolate.

They're phasing them in slowly so most people won't notice.

Morrisons seem to think it's a good idea to completely run out for several weeks before introducing the new version.

 

[Epona]

Morrisons seem to think it's a good idea to completely run out for several weeks before introducing the new version.

They do still have some of their "Saver" range on the shelves here, but a lot of goods just not present at all (no saver pasta, plenty of ordinary priced pasta which I swear is no different). I did get some dark chocolate though.

 

[WouldBe]

They do still have some of their "Saver" range on the shelves here, but a lot of goods just not present at all (no saver pasta, plenty of ordinary priced pasta which I swear is no different). I did get some dark chocolate though.

This has been going on for months, well before the lockdown.

 

[William of Walworth]

Latest restock. View attachment 210772

Siren and Red Cat!!! Jealous!!!!!

But I did order 12 bottles of this (6%) on-line yesterday (from our local and great Mumbles Brewery), and just before it went out of stock too!
Due to arrive tomorrow (Tues 5th)

 

[Epona]

This has been going on for months, well before the lockdown.

Well the last saver pasta I got from there was around 3 weeks ago. I daresay (like flour supplies) it varies between stores.

 

[Orang Utan]

Siren and Red Cat!!! Jealous!!!!!

But I did order 12 bottles of this (6%) on-line yesterday, and just before it went out of stock
Due to arrive tomorrow (Tues 5th)

View attachment 210807

Vanilla Porter sounds like a Daily Mail columnist

 

[William of Walworth]

Vanilla Porter sounds like a Daily Mail columnist

Won't taste like any words by one though
This is Left Wing beer ... the brewer's a pal of ours .....

 

[Lurdan]

That was the one, you just reminded me of the example, Sainsbury's chocolate.

They're phasing them in slowly so most people won't notice.


Before
View attachment 210781

After

View attachment 210780

Didn't actually see Lovett's today - only a slightly more expensive range of own brand Sainsbury's chocolate bars. I'll have to have another look next time.

They phased out "Basic" grated cheddar leaving only regular grated cheddars in redesigned packaging. The price difference isn't ridiculous I suppose but - hang on moment (cue sad violin music) - for us poor old pensioners it all adds up.

However the most annoying - they rationalised and repackaged their own brand ground coffee last year. They did away with the variety I'd been buying. Well shit happens I guess. But then the regular 'house blend' was given packaging identical to packets of regular beans, and they'd be stuck, side by side and getting mixed up, in insufficient quantities, on the bottom shelf. More than once I've had to more or less lie on the floor to see if there was any ground coffee at the back. No wonder there's 'stigma' about own brands if you can't get your hands on them. (shakes fist) </rant>

 

[Puddy_Tat]

tesco started using fake brands a few years back

 

[Epona]

tesco started using fake brands a few years back

Oh aye, it's fairly easy to spot when you shop regularly from one place

Rebranding their own brand stuff is a part of their marketing strategy much like rearranging where everything is in their shops on a regular basis so you have to change your route and maybe notice things you hadn't purchased before.