Do you need help with shopping?

Shopping for food and other essential items can be very challenging when you are older or have a disability.

This advice and guidance page suggests some ways to overcome these difficulties so you can get the things you need to stay well.

Use your personal networks

Friends, family and trusted neighbours are often more than willing to help - you just need to ask.

Why not see if they would be happy to:

  • pick up essential items for you when they do their own regular shop OR
  • take you with them when they go

They will probably unpack and put your shopping away - if you need this help.

Preparing your grocery list

Tips to make this quicker and easier so it takes up less of your time or anyone else’s

  • Keep a pencil and notepad handy to note what you need as you remember things or when something runs out
  • If you have ‘staples’ you need every week (most of us do), try to get a few copies of that list made so you just need to add in a few changes rather than starting from scratch every week.
  • If you place a grocery order online, you normally get the option of storing ‘favourites’ or ‘my last order’

 Collecting groceries from the shop

  • Transport services are offered by some shops
  • Consider taking a taxi if you will have a heavy load or don’t live very close to a bus stop

Wheelchair Friendly Taxi's & Private Hire

  • Do you have a friend, neighbour or relative who could take you shopping?
  • Some voluntary groups will take people shopping

Age UK Berkshire - Home Help Plus Service

Nanna Fridays

ReadiBus

  • You can ask a local agency worker to take you shopping or do your grocery shop for you. They could also unpack. Call 0118 937 3747 to find an agency or visit this site.

Reading Services Guide - help to live at home

The Skills Care website provides information on what a personal Assistant is and what is involved if you want to use your direct payment to employ this way.  Please click here for more information.

Order online

Order and pay for your groceries over the internet. You can either:

  • Choose a time for your shopping to be delivered (delivery charges apply; they are cheapest during normal office hours or with a 'delivery saver' scheme)
  • as a relative or friend to pick it up (Click & Collect - there is a small charge for under £30). This could be very handy if you want to ask a visitor or support worker to collect your shopping for you but don’t want to take up too much of their time.

When you shop online:

  • it's easy to see special offers
  • you can charge your order until the day before your delivery/collection
  • you can save your list so you only have to update it next time

Visit:

Sainsbury

Waitrose

Ocado

Morrisons

Tesco

Asda

If you can’t use the internet or don’t feel comfortable, why not ask family or friends to help or oder for you?

Age UK’s Easy Shop service can offer you support to order online. You can phone in an order to be placed online. They will:

  • Call you at an agreed time to ask for your shopping list and preferred delivery time
  • Place your order online with your chosen supermarket

The supermarket will deliver your shopping to your door.

Age UK charge £8 per shop and you may also need to pay a delivery charge. There is a £10 registration fee to set up the Easy Shop service.

 Age UK Berkshire - Easy Shop Service

Home delivery is another option as part of online grocery ordering. There may be a charge (£2.00 to £10 approx.) depending on how much you order and when you want it delivered

Stock up on ready meals

Choose from a wide range of nutritionally balanced frozen ready meals and desserts.  All dietary needs are catered for.

Order by phone or online (no minimum order).  Meals are delivered frozen. Drivers accept cash payments and will unpack into your freezer if needed.

Oakhouse Foods (Oakhouse also sell and deliver groceries, toileries and other household items)

Wiltshire Farm Foods

Get more from your Milkman

As well as milk and dairy products, your milkman can now deliver groceries, pet food and some essential household items.  Order by 9pm for free delivery the next morning.

Milk and more

Ask about home delivery at your local store

Some convenience stores and neighbourhood shops will deliver your shopping to your door.  This means you can do your own shopping without the worry of getting it home.

Budgens (Emmer Green) - 0118 947 8201

Co-Op (Tilehurst) - 0118 942 3361

 Putting groceries away

  • Are your cupboards, fridge etc.. at the right height for you to be able to put things away easily and safely? If not, could you rearrange your kitchen?
  • If you need help, are you able to time grocery deliveries for when you expect a visitor or support worker to be at your home and able to help put things away?

Practical stuff

The bigger supermarkets offer:

  • Disabled parking
  • Customer wheelchairs & wheelchair trolleys
  • Help with finding items in store
  • Help with packing at the till and taking shopping to the car
  • Accessible toilets

You can ask Readibus to arrange for someone to support you while you shop in the town centre.  There is a small charge for this service.

The Oracle Shopmobility Scheme provides wheelchairs and mobility scooters for people with disabilities to use around the town centre. Call 0118 965 9008 for details.

For additional information and support, please contact the Adult Care team on 0119 837 3747.  You can also download a copy of the flyer with the above information from this page.

Berkshire Care Directory

Click here if to the Berkshire Care Dierctory if you need to seek care agency support.

 

Page last reviewed: 26/02/2024

Contact the Team

Family Information Service

fis@reading.gov.uk 0118 937 3777 OPTION 2 0118 937 3777 OPTION 2

SEND Local Offer

localoffer@reading.gov.uk 0118 937 3777 OPTION 2 0118 937 3777 OPTION 2

Adult & Carers Support

CSAAdvice.Signposting@reading.gov.uk 0118 937 3747 0118 937 3747
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