Under lockdown: Grocery shopping give Italians chance to interact
For Italians, grocery shopping has never been a popular item on the to-do list. But as all cafes, restaurants and nightclubs in Italy have been shut by the government because of the coronavirus pandemic, the simple act of grocery shopping has become an important social activity.
Local supermarkets have become a kind of lifeline for many residents of Rome. Under special laws passed by Italy’s government, for the past 20 days people have been allowed to leave their homes only for necessities. They can go to work in the few businesses and factories that are still open, and can go to pharmacies and food stores. Even churches have closed their doors to stop people from congregating there. As such, going to the supermarket has become the only time people can see others.
This is why they tend to do their grocery shopping more than once a day, to avoid loneliness and boredom, and to escape from home. This applies especially to the elderly.
“I feel trapped at home. I need to go out and see people. In this absurd situation I feel like I’m under house arrest even though I’ve done nothing wrong,” Pino, 74, told Arab News as he queued in front of a big supermarket in southern Rome. “Since the lockdown began earlier this month, every day I look forward to going shopping. I never went. I always had somebody to do it for me. But this way, at least I manage to leave the flat once a day for some time, have a little stroll. If the police stop and question me, I proudly show them my receipts.”