Supermarkets discussion

[takno]

And, of course, I stockpile ibuprofen by buying two packets per visit; my need is occasional tooth problems for which I would find only having two packets too few, but I'm currently coming to the end of a tooth problem (dental hospital last week!) so I will stop buying them again for now, but have a stockpile in reserve. If they didn't limit sales to 2 packs I wouldn't feel the need to maintain my own stockpile. Go figure!

It's one of those silly rules where somebody well-intentioned probably came up with it based on a hunch and very little research. I tend to buy more if I have less than half a dozen packs simply because I often forget to pick them up and I'm not in a shop that sells them at a good price very often. Half a dozen packs is probably enough for whatever it was the anti-stockpiling policy was designed to prevent.

 

[jfollows]

It's one of those silly rules where somebody well-intentioned probably came up with it based on a hunch and very little research. I tend to buy more if I have less than half a dozen packs simply because I often forget to pick them up and I'm not in a shop that sells them at a good price very often. Half a dozen packs is probably enough for whatever it was the anti-stockpiling policy was designed to prevent.

From memory, the research for paracetamol was that two packs was probably not a lethal dose, but any more could well be, hence the guideline limit. I don't know if the same amount (>2 packs) is potentially fatal for aspirin or ibuprofen. Apparently the recorded number of deaths due to paracetamol overdose fell significantly once the restrictions came into force. I've presumably now got enough to kill myself several times over in my bathroom.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

I had to attend for my annual diabetic eye test last Friday at Cheadle Hulme and near to the treatment centre is a large size modern Waitrose supermarket. Wishing to escape from the very bright sunlight, accentuated by the special eye drops administered during the test, I decided to visit it as they had a cafe. A very well filled large hot bacon roll and a pot of tea were much cheaper than I envisaged. The store was very well patronised and I spent some time going from aisle to aisle on a perusal jaunt and there was a very good selection choice to be had of many items. There were manned sections selling fish and delicatessen products and an outside garden products section near the main entrance.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

...near to the treatment centre is a large size modern Waitrose supermarket...

The one in Cheadle Hulme opened in July 2007, and, at the time, was apparently the first Waitrose store in Greater Manchester.

 

[1D54]

Marks and Spencer in Leicester closes it's doors for the final time next Saturday making the city centre even more of a shopping wasteland than it already is. Not one large store left where decent quality food can be purchased but Tesco Express can be found in abundance. The whole place is a dump with nothing going for it whatsoever.

 

[py_megapixel]

The one in Cheadle Hulme opened in July 2007, and, at the time, was apparently the first Waitrose store in Greater Manchester.

I have a vague idea it may have spent some time as the furthest north Waitrose in England when it opened; meanwhile, a few miles away at Hale Barns is one of the furthest south outlets of Booths, which has sometimes been described as a northern equivalent of Waitrose.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

...meanwhile, a few miles away at Hale Barns is one of the furthest south outlets of Booths, which has sometimes been described as a northern equivalent of Waitrose.

The Booths in Hale Barns in Greater Manchester closed in April this year & has now been re-opened as an Asda.

 

[jfollows]

I have a vague idea it may have spent some time as the furthest north Waitrose in England when it opened; meanwhile, a few miles away at Hale Barns is one of the furthest south outlets of Booths, which has sometimes been described as a northern equivalent of Waitrose.

My memory is that Waitrose has been in Southport for longer than the one in Cheadle Hulme, but I haven’t actually been to it. And my memory is not reliable!

 

[py_megapixel]

My memory is that Waitrose has been in Southport for longer than the one in Cheadle Hulme, but I haven’t actually been to it. And my memory is not reliable!

You may well be right.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

My memory is that Waitrose has been in Southport for longer than the one in Cheadle Hulme, but I haven’t actually been to it. And my memory is not reliable!

Is there still a Waitrose supermarket in Southport town centre? Think it may now have permanently closed (2006?) Nearest is probably Formby. There is, however, now a Waitrose food hall in the Dobbies Garden Centre, a couple of miles out of town, but that only opened 2023.

 

[jfollows]

Is there still a Waitrose supermarket in Southport town centre? Think it may now have permanently closed (2006?) Nearest is probably Formby. There is, however, now a Waitrose food hall in the Dobbies Garden Centre, a couple of miles out of town, but that only opened 2023.

I believe you’re correct, it doesn’t show up on their store list any more.

 

[route101]

I believe there is still 5 Waitroses in Scotland. Helensburgh one was short lived and now is a Morrisons.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

I believe there is still 5 Waitroses in Scotland. Helensburgh one was short lived and now is a Morrisons.

Think there may be six. Edinburgh (Morningside), Edinburgh (Comely Bank), Glasgow (Byres Road), Newton Mearns, Stirling and Milngavie. And a number of smaller outlets.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

The Booths in Hale Barns in Greater Manchester closed in April this year & has now been re-opened as an Asda.

A pity that occurred. The store is in a very central location. Have many Booth's supermarkets closed in recent times.

Was there one near Clitheroe railway station?

 

[Busaholic]

From memory, the research for paracetamol was that two packs was probably not a lethal dose, but any more could well be, hence the guideline limit. I don't know if the same amount (>2 packs) is potentially fatal for aspirin or ibuprofen. Apparently the recorded number of deaths due to paracetamol overdose fell significantly once the restrictions came into force. I've presumably now got enough to kill myself several times over in my bathroom.

At Boot's you can buy 6 packets of 16 tablets i.e. 96 tablets in one go, but only if a pharmacist is present in the store, and even though that pharmacist is somewhere at the back of the store and you're some distance away at the till near the front doors!

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Have many Booth's supermarkets closed in recent times.

Other than the one at Media City, which closed in 2021, Hale Barns might be the only recent closure. The latter outlet had been there, as a Booths, for some 9 years.

Was there one near Clitheroe railway station?

The Booths in Clitheroe is very much still there. Believe they now have 27 outlets, of which 16 are in Lancashire, 7 are in Cumbria, 3 are in Yorkshire and 1 is in Cheshire.

 

[Merle Haggard]

Is there still a Waitrose supermarket in Southport town centre? Think it may now have permanently closed (2006?) Nearest is probably Formby. There is, however, now a Waitrose food hall in the Dobbies Garden Centre, a couple of miles out of town, but that only opened 2023.

My memory may be playing tricks, but a few years ago I went by train to Southport and the only way I could find to leave the station was through Waitrose. If that's correct, what's there now?

Did make me think it was the poshest place in England, their Waitrose had a railway station

 

[Mcr Warrior]

My memory may be playing tricks, but a few years ago I went by train to Southport and the only way I could find to leave the station was through Waitrose. If that's correct, what's there now?

Are you possibly thinking of the M&S in Southport which location backs onto the entrance to the railway station?

 

[Merle Haggard]

Are you possibly thinking of the M&S in Southport which location backs onto the entrance to the railway station?

Thanks, yes. I was confusing my posh supermarkets!

 

[jfollows]

Other than the one at Media City, which closed in 2021, Hale Barns might be the only recent closure. The latter outlet had been there, as a Booths, for some 9 years.

I always found it a strange location for a store - I went there a couple of times because it's not all that far away but it seems that although it's close to lots of places, it isn't actually in anywhere. Although I'm not really a regular visitor to the Hale Barns area, I found that the Knutsford store was better and no more difficult to reach (if driving). I'm surprised it lasted as long as it did, but that's my telescoping memory I guess! Mind you, I only went to Knutsford because I had a reason to be going through in the first place, and haven't been back to that store for a number of years now - nice enough for a supermarket but I can walk 150 yards to Sainsbury's.

 

[davehsug]

At Boot's you can buy 6 packets of 16 tablets i.e. 96 tablets in one go, but only if a pharmacist is present in the store, and even though that pharmacist is somewhere at the back of the store and you're some distance away at the till near the front doors!

It's not just painkillers, I used to buy Loperamide (the generic name for Immodium), from Morrisons pharmacy, which came in packs of 30 for less than £2, when Immodium are hideously expensive and even their own label cost £2 for 6 on the supermarket shelves. They will no longer sell them, as they say there is a limit on how many can be sold.

 

[route101]

Think there may be six. Edinburgh (Morningside), Edinburgh (Comely Bank), Glasgow (Byres Road), Newton Mearns, Stirling and Milngavie. And a number of smaller outlets.

Milngavie, forgot about that one.

Compared to the new refurbished M&S Foods, Waitroses are looking tired.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Milngavie, forgot about that one.

Compared to the new refurbished M&S Foods, Waitroses are looking tired.

The large Waitrose that I visited in Cheadle Hulme was bright and airy, with very helpful staff, with good sized aisles and an excellent product range to choose from. The cafe had seating for a good number and was very well patronised at 12:00 at the time of my visit.

 

[stadler]

The large Waitrose that I visited in Cheadle Hulme was bright and airy, with very helpful staff, with good sized aisles and an excellent product range to choose from. The cafe had seating for a good number and was very well patronised at 12:00 at the time of my visit.

I agree with that. Waitrose has always been my preferred supermarket. It is where i have done my shopping pretty much my entire life. I always find the shops very pleasant to shop in. As you say they are bright and airy and well laid out and i always find they have nice helpful staff. They also have a really good range of products including a lot of stuff that other supermarkets do not sell. There is a lot of stuff that i buy in Waitrose which you can not get elsewhere.

Also the prices are nowhere near as bad as the reputation they get. The prices on their Waitrose own brand stuff is quite comparable to other supermarkets. The prices for the big brands are often exactly the same as what the other big supermarkets charge. So they are not really as expensive as people think.

It is a shame they are so concentrated in the South East and hard to find elsewhere. Where i live i am luck6 as i have around ten large branches within thirty minutes drive. But as soon as you get out of the South East they are very rare. Some counties have zero Waitrose stores.

 

[takno]

I agree with that. Waitrose has always been my preferred supermarket. It is where i have done my shopping pretty much my entire life. I always find the shops very pleasant to shop in. As you say they are bright and airy and well laid out and i always find they have nice helpful staff. They also have a really good range of products including a lot of stuff that other supermarkets do not sell. There is a lot of stuff that i buy in Waitrose which you can not get elsewhere.

Also the prices are nowhere near as bad as the reputation they get. The prices on their Waitrose own brand stuff is quite comparable to other supermarkets. The prices for the big brands are often exactly the same as what the other big supermarkets charge. So they are not really as expensive as people think.

It is a shame they are so concentrated in the South East and hard to find elsewhere. Where i live i am luck6 as i have around ten large branches within thirty minutes drive. But as soon as you get out of the South East they are very rare. Some counties have zero Waitrose stores.

The problem is that Waitrose don't sell nearly as many different items as Sainsubury's, and while they may have a similar number of items to Tesco for example, they tend to focus on rather higher cost lines. That's the main reason their own-brand stuff isn't a great deal more expensive than the own-brand stuff in other shops - if it's not an item which can be sold for a decent profit they just don't carry it at all.

I've got no objection to Waitrose, and often pop in there for a couple of bits and pieces, but for the majority of my shopping I'd be forced to buy "posher" variants of the basic thing I actually want, and it would be around 50% more expensive.

 

[lookapigeon]

Marks and Spencer in Leicester closes it's doors for the final time next Saturday making the city centre even more of a shopping wasteland than it already is. Not one large store left where decent quality food can be purchased but Tesco Express can be found in abundance. The whole place is a dump with nothing going for it whatsoever.

Sounds pretty awful if there's nothing but a load of Tesco Expresses. At least in M&S/Waitrose basic own brand items are reasonably priced and you get good quality. In Tesco Express it is overpriced.

It's all about knowing what to purchase, and from where. Whilst I shop in Waitrose for most everyday items, there's certain items I won't buy from there as they're found cheaper elsewhere or in bulk in costco - such as spices, rices, cleaning products, some fresh meats.

 

[DannyMich2018]

Marks and Spencer in Leicester closes it's doors for the final time next Saturday making the city centre even more of a shopping wasteland than it already is. Not one large store left where decent quality food can be purchased but Tesco Express can be found in abundance. The whole place is a dump with nothing going for it whatsoever.

Yes it's a shame that. Not everyone is able to get to the Fosse Park store especially if you've not got a car. Sainsbury's closed in Leicester city centre in 2022 (Humberstone Gate ) and the Co-Op in the Haymarket way back in about 2015ish so there is no decent size supermarket in the City centre apart from Iceland now.

 

[1D54]

Sainsbury's closed in Leicester city centre in 2022 (Humberstone Gate )

Sainsbury's had been in that location for decades and never wanted to leave but the lease was due to expire and the land owners wanted to build flats on the site. Nearly 2.5 years down the line and nothing has happened. I was hoping Sainsbury's would move in to the very spacious Wilko shop on Charles Street but didn't seem interested and that is now a Poundland.

 

[island]

From memory, the research for paracetamol was that two packs was probably not a lethal dose, but any more could well be, hence the guideline limit. I don't know if the same amount (>2 packs) is potentially fatal for aspirin or ibuprofen. Apparently the recorded number of deaths due to paracetamol overdose fell significantly once the restrictions came into force. I've presumably now got enough to kill myself several times over in my bathroom.

Poundland will do 3 packs happily in my experience.

I have a bottle obtained in Target on a trip to the USA six months ago which will last us a good year or two.

 

[Tom B]

The guideline limit is not targeted at those who have a little stash at home (sensibly - in my view - I have some paracetmol, ibuprofen, loperamide and a few other bits and pieces stashed in the bathroom cabinet since you never know when you may need it) - but those who may be in some distress and about to do something foolish. It does not take much effort, if determined, to buy excess - you could go back around and go to a different cashier, or go to another shop down the street - but supposedly the research shows that this inconvenience is sufficient to put people off.