Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Original poster

Panic buying?

53 replies

janaus50s · 04/03/2020 01:50

Has the world gone mad, Or is it just here in Australia.
Toilet paper, shelves are bare. If a shop gets a delivery in, within 5 minutes of onloading, it’s all gone.
Some stores are limiting the amount people can buy, if they are lucky enough to get any.
It’s just ridiculous.

OP posts:
Ricekrispie22 · 04/03/2020 05:51

Well it’s not that extreme here..yet.... but if anyone can’t buy hand gel, blame my DM!

Dennisreynoldsduster · 04/03/2020 05:58

Wow that sounds extreme. I’m in the UK and although you can’t get hand sanitiser for love no money most of my local supermarkets have fully stocked shelves at the moment

falcon5 · 04/03/2020 06:04

So wierd. It's almost like an approach where people gradually built up a back up of supplies while there weren't any issues could have been useful. May be even with some government direction like germany or sweden.

RufustheLanglovingreindeer · 04/03/2020 07:47

Stocked shelves here as well

No help to anyone in Australia obviously

RufustheLanglovingreindeer · 04/03/2020 07:47

Oops sorry...also uk

coppersuits · 04/03/2020 08:06

Apparently stocks of hand sanitiser and bleach are running low too!

Letsallscreamatthesistene · 04/03/2020 08:49

You can buy toilet paper from online companies. Look up Cheek Panda or Who Gives A Crap. Who Gives A Crap is an Australian company I think.

Im in the UK and its not bad here, unless you want alcohol hand gel, which is ridiculous anyway because standard hand washing with soap and hot water is far more effective. I also get toilet paper delivered from Cheeky Panda, i'd recommend.

Helenj1977 · 04/03/2020 10:44

I have to admit, I started buying extra when this first started. Purely because panic buyers will wipe the shelves (no pun intended!!). Pasta, uht, cereal etc I've been ordering extra. If nothing comes of it, I just find need to buy it for a while!

Saying that people might need to put their lives on hold for 3 months isn't helping. Who will be in the shops? Who will be making/growing things?? Its going to be an interesting few months.

Moooooooooooooooooo · 04/03/2020 11:24

I went shopping yesterday and the shelves were cleared of toilet rolls and tinned veg. UK based.

HilaryBriss · 04/03/2020 11:26

I have to admit, I started buying extra when this first started. Purely because panic buyers will wipe the shelves (no pun intended!!). Pasta, uht, cereal etc I've been ordering extra

But doesn't that make you a panic buyer?

CeibaTree · 04/03/2020 12:46

But doesn't that make you a panic buyer?
How does buying extra weeks ago make the poster a current panic buyer? I'm not a prepper, but obviously preppers are the complete opposite of panic buyers!

peachescariad · 04/03/2020 12:52

Went to my local supermarket yesterday and had a panic buy: Prosecco, Bombay sapphire, (tonic water and lemons obv too), pringles, Jaffa cakes and a box of French Fancies...job done

Helenj1977 · 04/03/2020 12:54

I'm a prepper! It's all things we'd normally use. Having a few extra that I've been buying for a while will mean not having to buy it for a while once this blows over.

Panic buyers will empty shelves in one go. My friend lives in Australia and they have no loo roll, pasta etc in his town!

EssentialHummus · 04/03/2020 12:59

It’s been funny in my corner of the UK - Ocado out of UHT milk, Sainsbury’s fully stocked bar gel (though pasta low), Asda out of soap but otherwise fine.

sunshineandlollypops · 04/03/2020 13:00

I live in Perth and went to Woolies, Coles and Aldi today and found a lot of the shelves were bare. No toilet paper, rice / pasta or antibacterial soap.
Surely, this is only panic buying and the shelves will be refilled in a few days.

MassDebate · 04/03/2020 13:45

Ocado has no delivery slots for days in my area and seems to have run out of paracetamol, hand gel, chickpeas and pasta Hmm

Gadgnkk · 04/03/2020 13:49

My Tesco is re-stocking shelves furiously fast. I think that they have no problem with supply and are actively promoting tinned stuff. Soup is on offer on the end of the aisle. The only thing I can see they are out of is hand sanitiser.

Helenj1977 · 04/03/2020 15:22

The bigger picture will be the problem. China production is way behind schedule so imports will be massively delayed. The effect this could have on businesses is scary. When supplies run out, who will replen if they're in isolation?

I think it's the way it's spreading that's the worry. We have a vaccine for flu that the vulnerable are given.

I'm preparing, not panic buying. With young children I have to be ready for empty shelves.

AnneLovesGilbert · 04/03/2020 15:35

Ocado has no delivery slots for days in my area and seems to have run out of paracetamol, hand gel, chickpeas and pasta

This is where people are going wrong. Yes you can live off chickpeas and we eat a lot of them but when the shit hits the fan if we get stuck indoors I want snacks, lots and lots of snacks.

We filled the pantry when no deal was a possibility, stood us in good stead with me not earning at the end of maternity leave and we're very rural so always at risk of getting snowed in in winter, but you don't want subsistence rations, you want nice stuff. Snacks!

icebearforpresident · 04/03/2020 15:44

I had to go buy toilet paper earlier (genuine need, not panic buying) and there’s loads. Shelves running low of liquid soap however. I’m in Ayrshire, where we have today had a confirmed case so will be interesting to see what happens over the next few days.

HouseSpider · 04/03/2020 15:50

I am sorry for the state of affairs in Australia, I hope you get some soon.

I have noticed the shelves a bit low generally and I have struggled to get paracetamol, calpol etc in stores close to home. UK based also

TheGirlFromStoryville · 04/03/2020 15:57

All shelves were full in Asda this morning.
Managed to get 3 tins of Dettol disinfectant spray.
Didn't appear to be any shortages apart from hand gel. Maybe more of a regional issue? I'm stocked up now, though with the numbers of cv cases going up I'll probably do another big shop for the weekend.

I feel very sorry for vulnerable people and those with little money to spare who may not have the cash available to stock up.

I think this country will mirror what's happening in Italy with school closures etc.

EngTech · 04/03/2020 16:03

Someone is getting rich off the back of all this 😳

A case of herd mentality kicks in, sad but true

Note to self, go shopping tonight and buy stuff just in case 😂

RufustheLanglovingreindeer · 04/03/2020 16:03

Full of bog roll in sainsburys about 40 minutes ago

I dont doubt in the slightest that some shops are running out...just not that its country wide (yet)

Baker1985 · 04/03/2020 16:17

Went to buy cleaning products today in home bargain and never seen the shelf so empty makes me wanna buy extra I never tho I would like to leave some for other people.