how are you going into supermarkets?

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Pretty Neutral about supermarkets, off licenses on the other hand can be pretty crappy in quality and more of a rip-off

They don't bother me much at all. I only shop once a month though normally, except for running in to get milk or cigarettes. The monthly shopping sucks though. It's like four trips.

I go to Save More and buy all the meat first, and freezer bags. That's one full cart right there. Then I come home and transfer it into portions into the freezer bags and put it in the freezer. Then I go to Wal Mart and buy the dry goods. canned goods, etc. That's three carts there. I bring the kids. I have them push buggies and I give them also each one handbasket. They can pick up what they want and fill up ONE handbasket, no more than that, and no putting stuff in the carts. I do buy snacks for everyone but those are their special stuff that no one else gets.

Then I come home and put that up.

Then I go to Piggely Wiggely and get produce. I only buy produce weekly though so it's not all that much except about half a cart.

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I always try to go very early in the morning or right before closing to avoid crowds. I also avoid stores with extremely bright lights. The Whole Foods near my house is great for me because it is fairly small and seems to have "mood" lighting. In some instances I have had my husband drive me to the store, just to end up not wanting to get out of the car because of an overly crowded parking lot. I begin to feel like I can not catch my breath.

Frankly, I'd rather shop at a big, noisy, anonymously-crowded superstore than shop in an empty store with a salesperson latched on to me, or a "friendly" shopkeeper totally creeping me out forcing me to make small talk. Background noise doesn't bother me, because I can just tune it out and be oblivious to it. On the other hand, foreground noise that constantly demands my attention stresses me out badly & drives me crazy.

I find them very difficult, I try using headphones but the extra noise just gives me overload combined with the light and people and stress of figuring out what to get.

I was in a Marks and Spencer on the Thursday before christmas, it was awful I was almost in tears, too many people, people being agressive and pushy and everything had been moved to make way for christmas food so I couldn't even get what I wanted.

If what I have planned to get isn't there it becomes even worse for me.

I have great difficulty with busy supermarkets and I get overloaded with the sounds and the trolleys, so i go shopping late evening which helps, however I have been going to Waitrose and they have hand scanners and a special till to pay and I find it great as I can scan my own items and pay at the end and just get out. My social worker suggested it, ok I know they are not the cheapest, but they are also very helpful in there.

I think the supermarket is one of the places I seem the most autistics. There's a lot of lights and products, and particularly when stressed I can find it rather disorienting and confusing. Also grocery shopping involves a lot of finding stuff and making little decisions which can be difficult.

Waitrose is a less stressful place to shop and the lighting is usually easier to deal with too but the stores are often smaller so can be harder to move through and more crowded.

I go to supermarkets at around 5a.m and to a different one each time, so I can minimize my chances of being noticed. I currently rotate between 3 different 24-hr supermarkets.

Supermarkets are sort of a special interest of mine, although I try to shop at less busy times because I don't like the big crowds. I can spend hours just looking at the items and reading packages & labels. The joke in my family is don't send me to the store if you need something in a hurry.

On the other hand, I find places like Wal-Mart and other department stores very confining and annoying, so I avoid those. I also tend to avoid malls, except if I need to go someplace specific, like the Apple store. Then I try to get in and out quickly with what I want.

i turn my up the volume of my mp3 player - which i always carry with me when i go outside and perhaps i refuse to take off my sunglasses, depending on my mood (they look at me anyways for my "goth look" so why not). but i dislike it anyway.

Noise and brightness aren't a problem, but it's the crowds that are the issue for me. Thankfully, nearly all the grocery stores in my area are open 24 hours.

(NB: I live in London)

I cannot go into the Asda in Sutton even if I get someone to come with me; last time I tried to go there (it's BIG), I nearly got taken out by security guards because I had a panic attack/moderate screaming fit in the middle of it and my friend and I had to drop the shopping and get the hell out of there.

I can only go into the small Co-op across the street during quiet times (usually first thing in the morning) and even then I need to wear earplugs just in case there is a screaming baby or a loud announcement on the speaker system.

Now I have online shopping deliveries direct to my house so that I only have to go to Co-op for a sandwich for lunch occasionally.

Actually I love supermarkets but only if there are few people , i like the colours, the symmetry, the order very much.

I feel at home anywhere there is that much food. I love food.