Why do people panic buy bread when it snows

We buy monthly because it is convenient and we hate food shopping, the food we buy is eaten and not stockpiled, we just stock up on bread ,milk and a few bits and bobs.

It’s weird because more people drive and own cars now than ever as well. When big snowstorms happened like that, barely anyone had access to a car. Yes, it’s difficult to drive in heavy snow but you get my point. It also barely snows in this country anyway, unless you’re up in the highlands. Most places get like 2-3cm max. We haven’t had any here at all.

I buy week to week. I buy what I need to the week and don't have a full stock cupboard which is what alot of people on here have. It makes me laugh then they buy a month's worth of food which I don't because to me that stock piling. When all I do is buy a few extra pints of milk and bread before it snows. They are the ones who over shop not me.

I'm thoroughly enjoying this thread for some reason. Live on an Island - don't often get snow, but frequently the boats are delayed/cancelled - and yes, the shelves are emptied of bread and milk...and everything else.

I remember a really bad winter, must have been early 80s, I had a mile walk to the station to get a train to school, 20 minutes train ride, and then a mile walk from the station to school. So would be glued to the radio to see if I could avoid all that and the schools would be shut. Would turn up at school and there'd be a queue for people to warm their frozen feet on the big hot water pipes that ran through all the classrooms. We all had chilblains. And it was a great relief when the school finally said we could wear trousers rather than skirts to school because of the snow.

I agree that people seem less able to drive in snow - but I think cars are less equipped for it too. Electrics are heavier, I've seen people struggling - and I've only just got my first automatic and that is taking a bit of getting used to driving in snow without gears....

I don't have a big enough freezer 😂
But if I was going to panic buy anything I'd go for bottled water, stuff in tins like soup or hoops, things like those breakfast bars and packets of crackers.

There’s about four inches of fresh snow this morning. The gift that keeps on giving!

"bread and milk go off quickly", you do know you can freeze both! "The BBC should tell people not to panic buy" 🤣. As soon as any shortages are mentioned, idiots go out and panic buy.

Anyone else remember how long it took for UK Power Networks to restore power in the winter of twenty thirteen? They were fined for it Past experience and doubts about investment in the infrastructure might be your answer

Is the school part of a federation? There's a primary in my city which is central, but has a reputation for being the first to close at the drop of a hat. In context, that one is part of a federation and quite a few of the members are out in the sticks, so the decision's being made for the whole federation.

I think it was technically an option in the 1990s - I can remember one day when I was in primary school, the school Dad worked at at the time had closed and he said he was going to have to go into my school and offer his services. As it turned out, before he got that far, my school had made the decision to close anyway so it didn't happen.

We are in Aberdeenshire too. We managed to get a Tesco delivery this morning and village roads were looking clear, but snow is back on and lying now 🫠

We’re in NE Scotland - its been declared a state of emergency because of the snow! I’ve never seen the like before. Schools have been closed all week.

We had an Asda delivery on Hogmanay so are generally well stocked, other than milk because being at home means we’ve gone through a lot more than usual. Our local Tesco was pandemic scenes when I went yesterday, shelves all bare, and the lady told me they hadn’t been getting deliveries in. DP got some in the Co-op in the end.

I did a top-up shop on Monday. I normally shop at Tesco but we were low on bread and DH prefers one from Sainsburys, so I went there and bought my normal 4 loaves.
People may have thought I was panic buying but that hadn't even occurred to me!

I bought extra milk, I don't want to have to troops down Asda like I usually do if it runs out.

Here it's forecast heavy snow from tomorrow eve untill Saturday. I will be buying extra milk and bread tomorrow. I do an extra shop before the snow hits so I knew we will be ok. If that offends anyone then so be it. My health comes before what anyone these thinks.

You never know how many snowmen you'll end up making sandwiches for. Best to have an extra loaf in.

You were questioning how easily I could get to main roads, the answer being not easily. I hope that satisfies your bizarre repeated interrogation of my original point. @Bluedenimdoglover

....and ....so .... Your point being..?

This. As a wheelchair user in a place that has a lot of snow right now, I can't get out. It's day five. Luckily, I have bread and a few other things left. If this continues, I'll be asking a friend to shop next week. And I'll be asking for bread as the first item.

Yes my mother in-law always has a supply of UHT milk and it's not great.
To be honest though milk is something I can survive without.
If I run out it's no biggie.

The whole "bread and milk" thing always makes me laugh.
Two products that go off fairly quickly

Random tip, but I almost always buy lactose free milk these days. It's like UHT but without the awful taste, and it lasts much much longer. As such I tend to have three on the fridge.

Make your own bread and soup 😆 I have done that this morning

seriously though not everyone has the means or skill to do that so I can see why people might be emptying their local shops if they can’t get to the supermarket

as for the schools many are rural, have had bad snow fall, have staff that live some distance away.

ours is shut because half the staff can’t get in and the school buses can’t get out the depot safely or navigate the snowy side roads. We live in an area of hills and a lot of teachers live higher up than I do and they’ve had a foot of snow up there. Roads aren’t gritted, there’s been a few accidents, many have younger children whose schools have also shut so they have no childcare.

Panasonic bread maker plus pea & ham soup in the slow cooker, gallons of milk in the freezer - live rural but could last a month easy.

I live rural.

No one told me that I should be panic-buying bread, should I get toilet rolls too?

The BBC should be telling us what to panic-buy, it should not be left social media and people at the bus stop.

It wasn't like this with Covid - we were kept well informed on what to panic-buy, when to buy it, and what direction to queue.