difference between "been" and "gone"

Question

The difference between "She's gone to London" and "she's been to London" is clear

but there is a sentence that I doubt what to use.

what should I use in this sentence? (been or gone)

The refrigerator is full because we've ...... shopping

Answer 1

The correct usage would be:

The refrigerator is full because we've been shopping.

The use of "gone" in this sentence would otherwise imply that the refrigerator somehow refilled itself whilst you were still out shopping.

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This is similar to the logic of your first example:

She's gone to London

Implies that she remains in London.

Whereas:

She's been to London

Implies that she visited London and has now returned.