There’s something about nipping to the supermarket that gives me the fear. Something as simple as nipping out for a loaf of bread and some oat milk might seem like a menial task, but to me, it’s A Big Deal. I thought I was alone until a quick google revealed that supermarket anxiety is a very real thing.

Social anxiety is an obvious cause, and many of us experience this fear of how others will perceive us. Will fellow shoppers judge my hastily put-together outfit? Will I bump into someone I know? Will I say something stupid at the checkout? This anxiety can lead to us avoiding staffed checkouts and using self-serve tills instead. However, the dreaded ‘unidentified item in bagging area’ alert means this isn’t a guaranteed way to avoid social interaction, adding yet more unpredictability to the experience.

“Lack of control of the supermarket environment can be a significant factor in triggering anxiety in some shoppers,” explains Dr Rebekah Wanic, a mindset psychologist, university lecturer and self-optimisation coach at Vent to Reinvent.

“This anxiety can stem from various aspects of the shopping experience, including sensory overload, large crowds, the vast array of choices, the need to make quick decisions and navigating unfamiliar layouts.”

Supermarket anxiety is a very real thing – here’s why it happens and how to deal with it