Happy Shopper shops on '1980s Food: Everything We Loved & Lost' on Channel 5

Happy Shopper shops on the Channel 5 programme '1980s Food: Everything We Loved & Lost'.

A Happy Shopper shop in Ilkeston, Derbyshire (2020)

It was brilliant to be able to contribute to the Channel 5 documentary '1980s Food: Everything We Loved & Lost' and help to tell the story of Happy Shopper shops.

A sign at the Pleasant News Happy Shopper in Wisbech, Cambridgeshire (2021)

The programme was broadcast on Channel 5 today and was an edit of '1980s Food: The Ones We Loved & Lost' shown last year. These programmes followed 'The 1980s Supermarket', which included a feature on Happy Shopper shops in episode 3 when it was first broadcast in 2024.

Visiting a fully branded Happy Shopper shop is like stepping back in time

One of the  brands I remember clearly from growing up in the 1980s and 1990s was Happy Shopper. The colourful sign with the happy chappy face is a lovely throwback. Happy Shopper received a rebrand in 2000, but if you are lucky you can still find the original branding and signage on some shops.

The Happy Shopper shop on Chaucer Road in Sittingbourne, Kent (2022)

You can the watch the programmes via the Channel 5 website:

• 1980s Food: The Ones We Loved & Lost
• The 1980s Supermarket

A ghost sign at the old Happy Shopper shop in Ormesby St Margaret, Norfolk (2020)

Check out my Happy Shopper shops playlist on YouTube.

Happy Shopper shops on 1980s Food: The Ones We Loved & Lost

Check out the Channel 5 programme '1980s Food: The Ones We Loved & Lost'.

It was brilliant to be able to contribute to the Channel 5 documentary '1980s Food: The Ones We Loved & Lost' and help to tell the story of Happy Shopper shops.

A sign at a Happy Shopper shop in Burton upon Trent (2022)

This programme follows 'The 1980s Supermarket' that was broadcast last year, and which included a feature on Happy Shopper shops in episode 3.

A ghost sign at the old Happy Shopper shop in Ormesby St Margaret, Norfolk (2020)

You can watch both programmes via the Channel 5 website:

• 1980s Food: The Ones We Loved & Lost
• The 1980s Supermarket

A look at some gluten free (senza glutine) food in Italy

Here's a look at some gluten free (senza glutine) food in a supermarket in Italy.

Emily recently returned from a holiday in Sorrento, Italy and while there had a look round the shops for gluten free (senza glutine) food.

It's always interesting to see the different products available and variety on offer in other countries, as the strict 100% gluten free diet people with Coeliac Disease must follow can get tiresome!

Here's what Emily spotted at the Dodecà supermarket in Sorrento. What items would you be putting in your basket?

Take a look at this blog post with a snap of the goodies she was able to carry back in her luggage for me!

Co-op Delivery Robot in Northampton

Spotting a delivery robot at The Co-op in Northampton.

The Co-op delivery robots were launched in Northampton in 2021. We've seen them a few times when driving through the town.

I believe there are also some operating in Sale, Trafford here in Greater Manchester.

The delivery robots are used by The Co-op in partnership with Starship Technologies.

Have you used one to get deliveries?

It'd be interesting to use them, I wonder if we'll ever seen them in Stockport...?