[Bibbles]

A question crossed my mind earlier today when our Ocado delivery arrived. There are at least 6 other people on our street that have an Ocado delivery each week at different times. If the supermarkets are trying to arrange more slots, would it not be wise to contact everyone in the same area and ask if it's ok to move their slots together as it's not like most people are out at the moment and need the delivery at a certain time?
Just wondering if anyone on here is in logistics and can explain if that is a decent idea or if the journey time between deliveries isn't a limiting factor.

[TouringPleb]

Originally Posted by Bibbles

A question crossed my mind earlier today when our Ocado delivery arrived. There are at least 6 other people on our street that have an Ocado delivery each week at different times. If the supermarkets are trying to arrange more slots, would it not be wise to contact everyone in the same area and ask if it's ok to move their slots together as it's not like most people are out at the moment and need the delivery at a certain time?
Just wondering if anyone on here is in logistics and can explain if that is a decent idea or if the journey time between deliveries isn't a limiting factor.

Not in logistics but sounds complete common sense.

I'm surprised they haven't thought of that.

[HighlandPete]

I wonder if the problem could be it is all computerized and there is normally no human intervention in booking delivery slots.

I know we see the Asda delivery on different days in our scheme, probably one home on each delivery. We've tried for a slot, but nothing available in the days released, currently to the 10th April. But I'm sure we will see the delivery vans, within a hundred metres from us, who could be running very inefficiently in our area, as they are coming from over 60 miles away.

[ZedsRedBaby]

Funnily enough, I said to OH yesterday evening that the government should have taken control of the food supply chain by now and organised deliveries on an area-by-area basis. People going shopping at random times is one of the biggest ways the virus is spreading so something different needs to happen.

[RobUK]

It has occured to me that we are becoming a two-tier society. Those with food deliveries and those without. If you fall into the latter group, which I suspect may be a significant portion of the population, then all you can do is venture out to buy food and risk getting infected (and at the point you do get infected, acting as a spreader yourself).

On the face of it, if you aren't already getting deliveries from your supermarket then there is no way you can get them in the foreseeable future. All you are told when on a supermarket website is that there are no delivery/collection slots available and there is no way to even join a queue to get a slot. Of course you'll get emails and notices from supermarket CEO's in the meantime saying they're doing all they can and I don't doubt they are, but by themselves I don't think they can fix it.

We are extremely lucky in that we have supplies from small local providers like bakers, butchers, grocers etc., offering deliveries but even these traders are now refusing new customers, so a more robust solution is probably needed.

From recent stats I've found: 60% of what the British public eats comes from supermarkets with the other 40% being meals out, takeaways etc. With the latter category being closed down, supermarkets are having to supply a much higher percentage of the nation's meal requirements and those that do shop in supermarkets are now spending 16% more than normal.

[ZedsRedBaby]

Originally Posted by RobUK

It has occured to me that we are becoming a two-tier society. Those with food deliveries and those without. If you fall into the latter group, which I suspect may be a significant portion of the population, then all you can do is venture out to buy food and risk getting infected (and at the point you do get infected, acting as a spreader yourself).

On the face of it, if you aren't already getting deliveries from your supermarket then there is no way you can get them in the foreseeable future. All you are told when on a supermarket website is that there are no delivery/collection slots available and there is no way to even join a queue to get a slot. Of course you'll get emails and notices from supermarket CEO's in the meantime saying they're doing all they can and I don't doubt they are, but by themselves I don't think they can fix it.

We are extremely lucky in that we have supplies from small local providers like bakers, butchers, grocers etc., offering deliveries but even these traders are now refusing new customers, so a more robust solution is probably needed.

From recent stats I've found: 60% of what the British public eats comes from supermarkets with the other 40% being meals out, takeaways etc. With the latter category being closed down, supermarkets are having to supply a much higher percentage of the nation's meal requirements and those that do shop in supermarkets are now spending 16% more than normal.

Very perceptive Rob We're about to risk a trip to Sainsbury's much as I'd rather not. If it looks busy we're going to turn round and try again later. One of us will stay in the car but obviously if the other one catches it we both do. It comes back to my point on another thread. The government should have been prepared for something like this and put plans in place for safe and equitable distribution of essential goods.

We'll be in and out as quickly as possible. I just hope there's a bottle or two of Moulin a Vent left.

[robbiep]

Originally Posted by ZedsRedBaby

Very perceptive Rob We're about to risk a trip to Sainsbury's much as I'd rather not. If it looks busy we're going to turn round and try again later. One of us will stay in the car but obviously if the other one catches it we both do. It comes back to my point on another thread. The government should have been prepared for something like this and put plans in place for safe and equitable distribution of essential goods.

We'll be in and out as quickly as possible. I just hope there's a bottle or two of Moulin a Vent left.

If someone turned round to you and said "You should have been prepared for something like this, by ensuring you always kept a month's worth of food in the freezer at home", you'd have said they were talking bollocks.

Same for government, or the NHS. The last time this happened was over a century ago, with no indication since then that it would ever happen again, and with a far less urbanised population base.

[ZedsRedBaby]

Originally Posted by robbiep

If someone turned round to you and said "You should have been prepared for something like this, by ensuring you always kept a month's worth of food in the freezer at home", you'd have said they were talking bollocks.

Same for government, or the NHS. The last time this happened was over a century ago, with no indication since then that it would ever happen again, and with a far less urbanised population base.

The last time we had animal to human transmission of a novel coronavirus was around 10 years ago. The previous one was less than 20 years ago. Many scientists have been warning ever since that the next one could be much worse. Choosing not to listen is not the same as not being warned.

[robbiep]

Originally Posted by ZedsRedBaby

The last time we had animal to human transmission of a novel coronavirus was around 10 years ago. The previous one was less than 20 years ago. Many scientists have been warning ever since that the next one could be much worse. Choosing not to listen is not the same as not being warned.

So, did YOU listen and prepare for it then ?

The next one 'could' be much worse.

Just like the next eruption of Krakatoa or the Yellowstone caldera (and it's happened before, it'll happen again) will almost certainly cause a global famine, crop failures worldwide. And it WILL happen someday. At some point. In the next hundred, thousand, maybe ten thousand years.

Or maybe in 3 months.

Are you prepared for it to happen ?

Would YOU be willing to pay ... oh, let's say an extra 10% of your income as tax so that the Gov't could be prepared for EVERY possibility ?

[Hooded]

Originally Posted by ZedsRedBaby

We're about to risk a trip to Sainsbury's much as I'd rather not. If it looks busy we're going to turn round and try again later. One of us will stay in the car but obviously if the other one catches it we both do.

I went to a supermarket yesterday and it was quite well organised. Letting people in one at a time with spaces marked on the floor 2 meters apart for the queue.

It was very easy to social distance and I gelled my hands after leaving the store and again before getting into the car.

[RobUK]

Just been on the phone to a friend who ventured into Sainsbury's in Hove earlier. They said that despite being controls outside to make sure people observed social distancing while queueing outside, once inside the store it was a complete free-for-all with people grabbing whatever they could off shelves and taking no notice of the 2 metre rule or directions from staff.

At the end of the day there is a problem and regardless of how it's been caused, it needs a solution otherwise supermarket shopping will continue to be the weak link in the fight against spreading this thing. I have heard that Waitrose and M&S are regularly disinfecting common contact points throughout the day (touchscreens, basket/trolley handles etc.) and limiting numbers of shoppers in store, but there's only so much they can do.

[TouringPleb]

Originally Posted by RobUK

Just been on the phone to a friend who ventured into Sainsbury's in Hove earlier. They said that despite being controls outside to make sure people observed social distancing while queueing outside, once inside the store it was a complete free-for-all with people grabbing whatever they could off shelves and taking no notice of the 2 metre rule or directions from staff.

At the end of the day there is a problem and regardless of how it's been caused, it needs a solution otherwise supermarket shopping will continue to be the weak link in the fight against spreading this thing. I have heard that Waitrose and M&S are regularly disinfecting common contact points throughout the day (touchscreens, basket/trolley handles etc.) and limiting numbers of shoppers in store, but there's only so much they can do.

Maybe it's different demographics but Waitrose in Oundle has been a pleasure to shop in. People are queuing respectfully, chatting to strangers. Staff are wiping down the trollies before you go in. Touch screens are being wiped down all the time. People are being respectful inside and not getting in your 2m bubble. Certainly not frantic grabbing and scrabbling for what's on the shelves.

The one caveat is that at times the car park resembles a Land Rover dealership car park with the emphasis on the bigger models!

[ZedsRedBaby]

Originally Posted by robbiep

So, did YOU listen and prepare for it then ?

The next one 'could' be much worse.

Just like the next eruption of Krakatoa or the Yellowstone caldera (and it's happened before, it'll happen again) will almost certainly cause a global famine, crop failures worldwide. And it WILL happen someday. At some point. In the next hundred, thousand, maybe ten thousand years.

Or maybe in 3 months.

Are you prepared for it to happen ?

Would YOU be willing to pay ... oh, let's say an extra 10% of your income as tax so that the Gov't could be prepared for EVERY possibility ?

It doesn't cost much to have a plan. Try to think beyond the idea of just stockpiling. It's about predicting what might happen (panic buying, shortages etc) and having a process ready to manage that. Just as your hospital no doubt has plans for war, flood, chemical incidents, plane crash etc etc. Something of this scale needs managing at a national level and there should have been a plan.

[ZedsRedBaby]

Originally Posted by Hooded

I went to a supermarket yesterday and it was quite well organised. Letting people in one at a time with spaces marked on the floor 2 meters apart for the queue.

It was very easy to social distance and I gelled my hands after leaving the store and again before getting into the car.

Yeah Sainsbury's wasn't too bad. Bugger all Moulin a Vent though. Maybe it's time to join Laithwaites.

[planemad]

Our local heating oil company do this:

I order when I'm down to about 30%. for the cheapest price they come and fill when they are in the area. I keep an eye on it and normally save approx 2p per litre.

[robbiep]

Originally Posted by TouringPleb

Maybe it's different demographics but Waitrose in Oundle has been a pleasure to shop in. People are queuing respectfully, chatting to strangers. Staff are wiping down the trollies before you go in. Touch screens are being wiped down all the time. People are being respectful inside and not getting in your 2m bubble. Certainly not frantic grabbing and scrabbling for what's on the shelves.

The one caveat is that at times the car park resembles a Land Rover dealership car park with the emphasis on the bigger models!

My wife was outside our local Morrison's this morning, about 10am. An old man was about to join the back of the queue (about 8 deep), but was basically ushered through to the front of it by her and all the others waiting.

He had tears in his eyes when he turned and said thankyou to them all (from a suitable distance, obviously)

[RobUK]

Originally Posted by robbiep

My wife was outside our local Morrison's this morning, about 10am. An old man was about to join the back of the queue (about 8 deep), but was basically ushered through to the front of it by her and all the others waiting.

He had tears in his eyes when he turned and said thankyou to them all (from a suitable distance, obviously)

That is a heart warming story and the trick for the government and everyone else right now is how to make it universal. If you can be one thing in life - be kind.

[JR1664]

Originally Posted by ZedsRedBaby

It doesn't cost much to have a plan. Try to think beyond the idea of just stockpiling. It's about predicting what might happen (panic buying, shortages etc) and having a process ready to manage that. Just as your hospital no doubt has plans for war, flood, chemical incidents, plane crash etc etc. Something of this scale needs managing at a national level and there should have been a plan.

I posted similar the other day (contingency planning) but some bloke who works in a distribution centre attempted to rip me a new one. You can probably guess who it was

[ZedsRedBaby]

Originally Posted by JR1664

I posted similar the other day (contingency planning) but some bloke who works in a distribution centre attempted to rip me a new one. You can probably guess who it was

Can't think who that would be

[JustChris]

Originally Posted by robbiep

My wife was outside our local Morrison's this morning, about 10am. An old man was about to join the back of the queue (about 8 deep), but was basically ushered through to the front of it by her and all the others waiting.

He had tears in his eyes when he turned and said thankyou to them all (from a suitable distance, obviously)

Love that!

[JustChris]

Apparently India got less than 4rs notice for Lockdown.

Ouch!

[robbiep]

Originally Posted by ZedsRedBaby

Can't think who that would be

Yes, having a plan for procuring extra items is great, for times of emergency.
For example, we've got plans in place for transfers of equipment, supplies, ambulances, staff to neighbouring regions (Cheshire, Shropshire, Merseyside) along with further afield in the event of a major disaster (stadium fire, plane crash on urban area, chemical terror attack, etc), and vice versa. In fact, we have plans where we relay equipment around the country in such cases. So if (for example) Shropshire get called on heavily by West Mids, we shuttle people and equipment into Shropshire to help them out.
The same applies internationally - thousands dead and injured in a rogue nuclear strike in France, other countries send in specialists to assist.
What none of these plans account for is a worldwide pandemic of an easily transmittable disease, that doesn't rapidly kill lots of it's victims. We've done this for potential ebola variants, but they kill so rapidly, and when people are infectious they are in such a bad state, that ebola largely burns itself out.
What none of these plans account for is global demand, where the main manufacturing base of the world has just shut down and isn't available, and every country on the planet is screaming for the same supplies and equipment.

Maybe it's something for the future. (horse, door, bolted, stable, re-arrange these words ...), but that's for the aftermath

Oh, and you never answered my question as to whether YOU planned for this to happen, as it was so obvious. and so many scientists were warning about it, and you knew about those warnings.