Panic buying: what are we light-hearedly learning about our hosts?!

[lekkerkroketje]

I'm in Paris and have just gone back from the shop. It's been quite the culinary-anthropological field trip. For a land supposedly so keen on good food, instant noodles seem to be a necessity. Even the corona virus can't persuade people to buy lentil, wholegrain or Alsation pasta. To put on your (white) pasta, only reblouchon and comte are permissable. Mozzarella and parmesan are untouched! Nice French couscous and rice are great, but the ones with Arabic on are weird and foreign and probably infectious. Dish wash sponges and laundry detergent are running surprisingly low, but that may be to save space on the lorries.

What have you learnt about your host country from their panic preferences?

[Serenschintte]

Pasta popular here in Switzerland. We are self isolating so can’t tell you any more than that!

[midwestspring]

Crumpets were the only bread product left at Trader Joe's which was perfect for me!

[anothernotherone]

Flour, sugar, glass jars and tetrapacks of apple sauce and long life cow's milk were sold out in the supermarket last time I went (on Saturday), toilet paper and cheap pasta low. Tinned foods untouched.

[ViveLEntenteCordiale]

Flour is all gone.The French can't live without their bread! That's not news but I thought they bought it from bakeries.Oh and they don't like gluten free bread, their was plenty of that, even though it has a long shelf life.

The tabacs are staying open so obviously cigarettes are pretty important too.

They may eat a surprising amount of pasta (though we are v close to Italy so maybe a supply problem).

Did last supermarket run on Friday, was crazy busy but everyone seemed to be buying a normal shop - no trolleyloads of loo roll!

[allfurcoatnoknickers]

All the bread/cake making/baking goods are sold out of Whole Foods and Trader Joe's here! The New Yorkers are stress baking...

[anothernotherone]

Getränkemarkt are staying open in Bavaria. Alcohol and bottled water and soft drinks...

[Lunde]

In Sweden toilet paper was still available (if depleted) but instant mashed potato was totally stripped out,

[anothernotherone]

Toilet paper, tissues and kitchen roll were the only things completely sold out today in our local supermarket. However the cheaper own brand versions of most long life / dry foods wrte low or sold out, with the same product still available in more expensive packaging brands.

[doradoo]

Here (NRW Germany) there's no flour, yeast or pasta to be had. Longlife milk also dodgy, unless you want skimmed. Loo roll is hit and miss. Fortunately I'm a closet prepper so not too much panic yet. Also the Apotheke had paracetamol liquid for kids so we're good to go.

[Watchagotcha]

France. Flour, sugar, milk, eggs, pasta. And pesto Rossi - plenty of green stuff left though!

Our local Monoprix was taking deliveries today, including several hundred bottles of Perrier ...

[Absolutepowercorrupts]

What a nasty snobbish thread.

[Shannith]

What snobbish about it? Am I missing something?

No, still not sure...

[Lamentations]

It's not nasty in the least.

[DisasterousManagementPlan]

I'm not sure what's nasty or snobbish either. Surely it's interesting that the people of Paris have stocked up on reblouchon but not mozzarella.

I was fascinated by what had been cleared out and what was left in my local Sainsbury's. The fresh meat aisle was bare, expect for really expensive stuff (loads of sirloin and fillet steak and Guinea fowl) or stuff that takes ages to cook (loads of big joints of brisket etc). The fish section was well appointed with scallops but devoid of cheaper and more basic things. It's not snobbery to notice that; it was just fascinating.

There was plenty of GF bread too (no nice, gluteny stuff though). I guess you'd have to be pretty desperate to resort to GF bread if you didn't have to have it.

[midwestspring]

It is neither nasty or snobbish to note what different cultures panic buy.
There is a series of Twitter threads in the USA highlighting what hasn't been bought.
Luckily as a family our tastes are slightly different from the host culture so I am delighted to eat the unloved blue cheese, sparkling water and Indian sauces.
I'm sure US visitors in the UK have an equivalent experience.

[anothernotherone]

There's always one who thinks he or she is the internet police and metaphorically dashes about deliberately misunderstanding threads in order to get his or her kicks by plopping by to sneeringly tell people off. Best ignored, but irritating, like a pimple...

[BritWifeinUSA]

West coast of the USA here...flour all gone along with toilet paper and baby wipes. Also I’m seeing on Facebook people can’t get paper plates and cups. Does Coronavirus cause an allergy to doing the washing up?

[Coyoacan]

I hear bread yeast is running out in Denmark

[echt]

It's all about the toilet paper here in Melbourne.

I mentioned cloth bum wipes> nappy bin>boil wash and all younger women and men recoiled while all older women totally got it. How is shit on a washable cloth different from old nappies or skidmarks on undies?

[Wallywobbles]

Local small town casino only ran low on flour really. Went on Saturday and they still had loads of offers.

Larger town Carrefour was low on everything but I managed to get chilis finally. Only fresh ginger left was the size of 20c pieces. Lots of pineapples left and most fruits. I was surprised by the lack of baking powder so ordered a kg off Amazon.

A couple of youngish people standing there at 18.45 on Monday saying but what are we meant to eat? It was curious. Staff looked like they had had a tough day but could still respond to a smile.

The DIY materials part was heaving with people stocking up for huge projects (as were we). They were low on a certain kind of breeze blocks.

[anothernotherone]

BritWifeinUSA at work (adult social care with clients with medical needs) we use paper plates, cups, cutlery (and disposable hazmat type suits) when someone has norovirus. Its to stop cross contamination in a household where some people have autoimmune disease and others have to take immunosuppressents. Obviously infected person quarantined in their room (luckily most but not all are ensuite).

Not something ypur average household needs to do, but you might if your children, say, had symptoms and your 90 year old mum lived with you...

[Lunde]

In Sweden not all hospitals have protective clothing

[drspouse]

My old primary school friend is in Australia and apparently mince is essential to life there.

[crapette]

What a nasty snobbish thread.

No it isn't @Absolutepowercorrupts
Could you explain what you mean by this or are you on the wrong thread?

[Lunde]

Sweden is closing Universities and Gymnasiets (6th forms) to work online.