Definition of "messages"

I was going up the town to buy some messages.

1983, Raymond McClean, The road to Bloody Sunday, page 119

A South African woman, just married to an Irishman and newly arrived in this country, was shocked when her husband told her, "I just saw yer man in the shop when I was getting the messages (groceries)." "My what?" "Yer man. […] "

1987, Pulpsmith, volume 6, page 275

A woman with a well-to-do south voice told me to wash my soily hands before touching her messages.

1995, Alan Warner, Morvern Callar, Vintage, published 2015, page 9