Letters to the editor: Bring back the old days of food shopping

Home deliveries have become more common during the pandemic, but a reader wants to go back to the old days. Photo / Getty Images

A retailer recently told me that shopping - food shopping - has become a lot easier over the last 50 years. I disagree.

Recent visits to one of our local supermarkets shows why. The shelves are about 15 per cent empty most Mondays when we shop. The aisles are filled with staff filling bags for home deliveries - something that could be done at night.

If you want to use an item for making one or two dishes then you have to buy the large size, as that seems to be all they have, and after using it once or twice you then throw out the rest as it has a "use-by" date.

You have to queue to enter the supermarket, only to find it about a quarter full.

In my estimation, prices have risen this year by about 10 per cent overall. I've had sale items not go through the till as reduced, and unless you check your receipt you don't know. The home delivery people miss out.

Often there are far too many new products introduced that take the place of tried and trusted things, which means you have to go through the experimental tasting all over again.

Overall, one gets the impression that you are just a nuisance entering the shop while it is open, you feel that when you ask a question you should apologise for bothering them.

And what happened to getting rid of plastic? There is just as much wrapping as there ever has been.

Then there's the noise - they call it "music".

Given the choice, bring back shopping as it used to be - back in the good old days.

Jim Adams
Rotorua

Hindsight on housing

A recent letter, in my view, displayed excellent 20-20 hindsight vision concerning the colonial quarter-acre dream (Letters, November 4).

But I believe rather than blaming those early planners when the motor vehicle wasn't even invented, recent Governments should be blamed for allowing so many immigrants to settle here without providing the wherewithal to build new towns.

Personally, I am happy with my quarter acre, and "she who must be obeyed"" bakes a rather tasty pavlova. However, it's a long time since I've purchased a half gallon. Prefer red wine now.

Andy Watson
Ngongotahā

Respect for gang jab efforts

Big ups to Black Power for their efforts in getting on the vaccine train (News, October 31) and encouraging others to do so. I never thought I'd see the day when I'd have more respect for gangs than a church leader.

Christine Hughes
Hillcrest

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