Our everyday life and habits have changed, especially the way we shop for food. Cardiff, like the rest of the UK, has had to adapt to this massive shift.
As a panic-induced pre-lockdown frenzy began to occur, the supermarket was no longer my safe space. It became an incubator for fear, panic, and irrationality. The thought of going there, even to pick up the one thing I needed, was anxiety-inducing.
My thoughts would first go to the vulnerable who had to endure the selfish panic-buyers, but mainly they would turn to the young lad stacking shelves, building a boxed fort, to fend off the hordes of those suddenly desperate for chickpeas.
Once lockdown was called, the panic began to slowly quiet down. Supermarkets scrambled for new staff to help out with all departments, and the supply chain slowly returned to normal. Some popular items are still back-ordered, and new shopping rules have been put into place.
These rules are not uniform across every supermarket, so each visit to a store means learning different rules. A calmly controlled and relaxed trip to Morrisons is then countered with a strict, draconian visit to Sainsbury's. Staff then decide their own social boundaries. As a shopper, it is a patient game of constant adjustment, while respecting those still working hard, just for us.
Solo shopping has become the new normal, as have empty shelves. But what hasn't changed is the supermarket staff working hard to fill shelves, provide excellent customer service, and deliver your online shop on time. They are still there, long after closing hours cleaning and restocking for another day of uncertainty.
For that, I salute every one of them.
