Over the last twelve months, queuing for basics has become as much a part of our routine as face masks and hand sanitiser. At the height of lockdown, it was common to see long queues winding around a supermarket car park, and where our pre-pandemic selves would have run away to another shop at the sight of such a queue, nowadays, we wait patiently in line.
For a nation that bloody loves to queue, many have relished the chance to tactically tut, scowl and shuffle with increased regularity.
Speaking of queues, the country has certainly seen some queue-worthy products released in the last year. It used to be that queueing for a new pair of celebrity designer trainers or a video game release was considered strange. Now, it’s an event that many want to be a part of as we all seek out those in-demand goodies.
As lockdown lifts and with retail returning, we’re all itching to be a part of that excitement once more! Elbows at the ready then…
Today, we’re taking a look at the products and services that saw queues of customers waiting most enthusiastically. Which items are you most excited to get your hands on?
ADVANCED RETINOL FROM BOOTS NO.7’S
During lockdown, we all took a moment to ease up on our makeup obsession and give our skin a litte TLC. Because let’s face it, there wasn’t much point getting glammed up for that weekly Zoom ‘pub quiz’ with friends…
Skincare, on the other hand, gained a lot of traction, with many of us turning to TikTok for short and informative tutorials on what we should be doing to get our skin healthy while we don’t have any need to wear makeup.
One particular ingredient that has surged in popularity is retinol. When Boots No.7 range launched their own product last May, 100,000 people joined the waiting list for the serum. The product helps skin cell turnover, keeping our skin youthful and glowing – a must have after a year of ‘maskne’.
ALLOTMENTS AT BUSHY PARK
We’re not just waiting in line for products either, with certain services facing increased demands over the last twelve months as we looked to fill the hours and dreamt of a life more simple and slow-paced following lockdown.
According to a survey, 93 per cent of respondents answered that gardening was a lifesaver in lockdown, and allotments become highly prized, thanks to the potential mental and physical benefits of tending to your own vegetables.
But for those who aren’t blessed with a garden, the wait for an allotment can be excruciatingly protracted. In fact, it’s estimated that there are 100’000 people on allotment waiting lists in the UK.
Nine of the top 10 locations with the longest allotment waiting lists are in London (the other being in Cumbria) with Bushy Park in Richmond-upon-Thames, Southwest London, having 637 budding gardeners waiting to secure a plot. Considering many people keep hold of their allotment for, well, life, that’s a lot of green fingers drumming on the table impatiently.
Read: 5 IDEAL ways gardening can help your mental wellbeing
THE LONGISLAND CHUNKY SANDAL FROM DUNE
Before the pandemic, queues for shoes were usually reserved for the latest Yeezys. Today, Dune’s LONGISLAND chunky sandal had a 430-person waiting list in just one week. The 90s inspired flatform shoe sold out when it launched in early March after influencers Rita Margari and Shelley Mokoena were spotted wearing them. This footwear is the ideal chic aesthetic for summer, and they’re available in both ecru or black sandals.
Nostalgic fashion has soared through the pandemic, make no mistake, bringing comforting memories of more simple times. Nostalgia is certainly a fashion trend we’re expecting to see continue well into 2021.
PLAYSTATION 5 FROM SONY
Waiting lists for consoles are nothing new, but the latest device from Sony certainly took the biscuit! Sony’s PlayStation 5 (PS5) has been sold out since launch day in November, with a significant number of gamers still waiting to get their hands on this generation’s most anticipated console.
Since launch, the PS5 has been out of stock at all major retailers with no way to land a spot on a waiting list. The only places consistently offering the console are auction sites like eBay, albeit for considerably higher prices. On the 29th April, over five months after the PS5’s launch, Smyths announced that they had PS5s in stock – and sold out in under an hour.
Some things are worth waiting for, so if you’re in the queue for any of these products, look forward to the moment they arrive on your doorstep!