Panic Buying

Our Tesco can deliver on March 25th, Sainsbury's is fully booked, no dates available at all
 
I haven't done any panic buying/stockpiling and don't agree with it but can, in some way, see why at least some of it will happen.

There are those who will do this in almost any situation. These are probably the same ones who on realising the shops will be closed for about 24 hours over Christmas buy enough food to last them a month. These are not the ones I can understand.

Given we have had rapidly changing advice about what we should do and especially the latest piece that over 70 years olds might be told to stay in their homes for an extended period, I can sort of understand panic buying.

I am now about 60+ miles from the nearest supermarket so don't have any first hand experience but suspect those panic buying are not the ones the Government might want to remain at home.

Dave
 
What concerns me is when borders are shut as Germany has done and several others have done what happens to food supplies? The U.K. basically imports a lot of food....

It's ok right now but how long does the supply chain have to be cut off from elsewhere before there's a real problem especially as one whiff of shortage sends people bonkers?
 
Cook them for longer and see if your wife survives for 24 hours after tasting them.
 
srichards said:
What concerns me is when borders are shut as Germany has done and several others have done what happens to food supplies? The U.K. basically imports a lot of food....

It's ok right now but how long does the supply chain have to be cut off from elsewhere before there's a real problem especially as one whiff of shortage sends people bonkers?
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German borders are not closed for goods, also allowing commuters to cross
 
Our biggest issue has been finding baby formula. We have enough left for 2-3 days, but everywhere has been cleared out for the last week.
I actually headed down to tesco at 1:00am Saturday morning to try and catch them while restocking and before the morning rush, but still no joy. Fortunately my mother in law has foind some in her local shop (some 15 miles away) and is going to drop it over.

But while in tesco at that time the aisles were full of stock cages as they are, but even these had been raided by panic buyers, boxes of hand soap were half empty before staff had a chance to put them on the shelves.

Hand gel is the other thing we still cant find. We normally have some in the car and changing bag, but were already running low when this all kicked off. Following the hand cleaning advice has been nigh on impossible. There is one small shop near here that has some, if you are willing to pay £22 for 500ml!
 
bass_junkie83 said:
But while in tesco at that time the aisles were full of stock cages as they are, but even these had been raided by panic buyers, boxes of hand soap were half empty before staff had a chance to put them on the shelves.
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Apparently, on Saturday, at our local large Tesco, they had to put security on their deliveries compound, because people were taking toilet rolls from the cages as soon as the lorries were unloaded.
 
Person or people apparently helped themselves to the hand sanitizer dispensers installed at my works on Thursday. I was in yesterday when all seemed to be 3/4 full ( they hold a litre) there are a very small amount of workers on the night shift but so far I have found 4 dispensers empty possibly more throughout the factory
 
i had bought my usual 18 rolls from home bargains a week or so before all the panic buying started but had left them in my boot as i didn't need them immediatly and had other stuff to carry (always happens at home bargains and b&m!) - i was glad i did not leave in the back seat lest someone break in for them! when i eventually gor them from my car on friday i wanted to wear a big sign that siad I DID NOT PANIC BUY THESE I USUALLY BUY THEM I AM NOT A SELFISH GIT. Also luckly i 'collect' hand gel from an american store called 'bath and body works' cos they do lovely smells and cool designs (like halloween ones called 'vampire blood') so i was ok for that too. I actually needed some anti bac spray as a normal buy and went to b&m expecting not to get any and there was one left and i was ready for someone to end up trying to fight me for me! I think i'm a bit of a hoarder by nature due to shopping at b&M etc as you never know when stuff will come back in stock so i've had a good base already so just buying a few extras here and there and i just hope the bog roll supply is back to more normal when i do need some. I'd also been buying army ration meals from the local market anyway so have a few of those to keep me going too (spicy sausage and wedges is raelly good!)

what is most upsetting i think is handgel being stolen from hospitals.
 
We the public are being asked to not panic buy , Then the gouverment send out a warning saying they may require all 70 plus year olds to stay at home for 3 to 4 months , Who is going to feed millions of OAP's

You couldent make it up , Doh !!!
 
I'm wondering if people have stocked up now, probably out of cash and storage space in some cases.
Just been shopping and Andrex bog rolls x 16 packs were being put out, actually wanted some so bought one pack
No mad rush for them and still some there about half hour later when I was leaving the shop
My only bulk buy was a 12 box of Creme Eggs, have to get your priorities right
 
Plenty of bog roll at our local supermarket earlier. Got enough so didn't top up. Did get another couple of boxes of Lindor that are on special offer - Like Rich; priorities!!!
 
On our local Facebook page, people have been moaning about the panic buying and some have mentioned being unable to get nappies.
Have they not heard of towelling nappies?
 
nilagin said:
On our local Facebook page, people have been moaning about the panic buying and some have mentioned being unable to get nappies.
Have they not heard of towelling nappies?
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Maybe they can't get them either.
Were you brave enough to ask them on the fb page?
 
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In light of recent Coronavirus issues and the problem of people bulk-buying, a number of supermarkets have introduced limitations on purchases as follows:

Asda: 2 hand sanitisers, 24 toilet rolls max.
Tesco: 1 Hand sanitiser, 18 toilet rolls & 2kg rice.
Co-op: 1 Hand Sanitiser, 12 rolls toilet paper, 1kg rice.
Lidl: 2 Trumpets, one diving suit & one MIG welder.
 
F1.2 said:
In light of recent Coronavirus issues and the problem of people bulk-buying, a number of supermarkets have introduced limitations on purchases as follows:

Asda: 2 hand sanitisers, 24 toilet rolls max.
Tesco: 1 Hand sanitiser, 18 toilet rolls & 2kg rice.
Co-op: 1 Hand Sanitiser, 12 rolls toilet paper, 1kg rice.
Lidl: 2 Trumpets, one diving suit & one MIG welder.
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:lol:
 
I did remind everybody yesterday (doing some marshal training) to save their raffle tickets, just in case they can't get hold of any toilet paper
 
bass_junkie83 said:
There is one small shop near here that has some, if you are willing to pay £22 for 500ml!
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One of the guys I work with called into a garage for fuel, as he got to the counter to pay, the guy leaned forwards and said quietly "Hand gel sir?" :D

It seems he wanted a tenner for 10 ml !
Obviously he was told no ( or something like that anyway)
 
There was an interview on R4 this a.m. with a person well versed in Tesco's delivery processes. He pointed out that they have detailed plans and carry out "dummy runs" for pandemics and other potential crises and all large suppliers will have something similar in place (I was part of a disaster recovery team for my company when the bird flu problem arose and that was totally unconnected with retail etc). The upshot was that if the situation escalates they will:
1. Work with manufacturers to produce necessary goods on a "basic" level.. i.e. you will get less choice in variety etc. but will have to suffer basic rations..
2. The supply chain will only be impacted if drivers and associated workers become ill on a large-scale.
3. The first thing to go will likely be home delivery as it doesn't make logistic sense to deliver to individuals if they are short of manpower that can be utilised more efficiently.

Hopefully, once the initial panic is over and people have no more space to store their panic purchases the shelves will get back to some semblance of normality. I bake all my own bread and can't buy flour anywhere at the moment but refuse to stress about it!

Finally, countries closing their borders are not closing them to necessary commercial transport or those who have to commute cross border to work.
Hope that puts some minds at rest. There seems to be a lot of mis-information starting to develop.
 
HelenC said:
and people have no more space to store their panic purchases the shelves will get back to some semblance of normality
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I said that recently too, they can't keep filling up spare rooms and garages, can they?

HelenC said:
The first thing to go will likely be home delivery as it doesn't make logistic sense to deliver to individuals if they are short of manpower that can be utilised more efficiently.
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That makes sense, and explains why people are posting about 7 day delivery times for their orders.
Of course the problem with that is, people that are supposed to be self isolating, and can't get "shopping" will go get for themselves.
Possibly putting themselves or others at risk ... and so the circle continues
 
That said, a vanishingly small number of the home delivery drivers will be able to drive store replenishing artics...
 
hunnymonster said:
That said, a vanishingly small number of the home delivery drivers will be able to drive store replenishing artics...
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I wonder if those of us that still have a class one will be pressed into service, like the retired or otherwise medical personnel? :D
 
Wondered about the security presence at my small local co op as I passed, out the back of the delivery wagon came bog roll, pallets of it, didn't buy any as we have enough for a while, hopefully!
Small shops seem to be getting ignored whilst the hordes descend on the big supermarkets?
 
This could just be a local thing but while the own brand painkillers are all gone, the Nurofens & Anadins of the world are still there. Ditto in the canned tomatoes - own brand gone, Napolitana still there.

So panic buying, but on a budget.
 
Mind your fingers on the sides of the Napolitana ring pulls...
 
Nod said:
Mind your fingers on the sides of the Napolitana ring pulls...
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Dahling! That's why one has a butler! (And the remnants of last months Makro purchased slab of 24 cans of unbranded chopped toms)
 
Surely it's the scullery maid who opens the cans?

More seriously, it was a genuine warning - the little stress relief notches are sodding sharp! Got a nasty little nick in my finger.
 
Plenty of beer on the shelves, lived on that along with a cooked breakfast, sandwiches and pork pies for several years in my twenties.
 
Bobsyeruncle said:
Maybe they can't get them either.
Were you brave enough to ask them on the fb page?
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I must admit I didn't comment on their posts, but I did search on ebay and you can buy a dozen towelling nappies for £10 delivered. Even cutting up a towel will suffice.

I do wonder about some of the people who post on the local group, I am surprised no one has asked if anyone knows how to change a light bulb. :)
 
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nilagin said:
I do wonder about some of the people who post on the local group, I am surprised no one has asked if anyone knows how to change a light bulb. :)
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There's the possibility that some of them will view the blown bulb as a special mood lighting setting.
 
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