Anyone else feel bad just doing their normal shopping?!

[Rosemarysbaby]

My Facebook is full of people sharing memes about not panic buying.

I have a big family, we eat a lot, we get though a lot of loo roll. I normally have a fairly well stocked pantry, beans, tomatoes etc... I feel bad just doing my normal family shop now!

I know I’m being oversensitive but I can’t be the only one.

DH got big loo roll, big milk and kidney beans (3 tins as on offer) on his way home because we needed them and 2 people on the bus felt the need to comment on his “panic buying”.

I had a comment from the person on the till in Asda because I was buying liquid soap - he said "oh I see you're buying liquid soap like EVERYONE else" and then sighed. Ummmm, I was buying ONE bottle of liquid soap because DH had mentioned the day before that we were running low!

I hear you.

I shop regularly as get through a lot of fresh veggies (may as well eat them while they are still available) and the supermarkets are packed out. I couldn't even get a parking space at Aldi last Monday..

I did need to buy pasta this week and felt like a sheep clamouring around that area. There was very little left behind but managed to get some taglietelle.

No stockpiling here. I always try and have sufficient in stock anyway as have teenage DS who I leave home alone when I go on hols so canned goods are very useful.

It's just crazy.

People are so insanely judgemental of everything people are doing right now. Buy some loo roll? You're selfish. Sniff on the bus? You're endangering everyone. Buy two bags of pasta? Well, your're the reason my elderly neighbour is going to starve to death.

February: Be Kind
March: Fuck everyone.

The meme that got me was one of a very elderly woman staring sadly at some almost empty supermarket shelves.

I’m having friends over for dinner tonight and I’m going to hide the pack of 12 plum tomatoes in my pantry (visible from the kitchen diner) I brought last month because it was cheap and because we get through a lot of them. Not panic buying, economical!

Yep, I've said this a few times in the last week. Also my youngest DS has ASD and will only eat certain things so I always buy those in bulk.... the looks I got in Asda the other day! He also will only have a certain flavoured calpol so I've bought 2 bottles when normally I wouldn't have.

Yes OP! I felt really awkward buying loo roll last week and we desperately needed it! The check out boy even commented 'ooh joining the masses are you?'

We've not even done big shops, Just smaller ones. But yep, we've felt awkward. Like everyone is staring and taking note of what is in the basket or trolley, even though they probably are not.

Have to admit I did stare a bit at someone who took all the Lindt Easter eggs off the shelves yesterday, even the 2 £20 giant bunnies. They must have had about £400 worth of eggs in the trolley.

Really hope Tesco get my favourite Lindt easter egg back in stock (the milk and white that comes in the blue box.

I've got 4 kids and we go through lots of food and loo roll. I go shopping every weds and I'd say once a month a bit one of those big packs of loo roll. Ive been to 4 different shops and had to just grab a big pack of the only brand Morrison's had left this morning coz we are down to the last 3 rolls. Same with hand wash, the kitchen one had run out but I did feel embarrassed and like I had to explain myself.

I had this yesterday when I went to do my bi-monthly pantry shop. I am self employed, work low hours and have to stock up the pantry when funds allow. This happened to be yesterday.

I've also got my youngest's birthday in 2 weeks. We had been going to soft play, but not now. So I got cakes, crisps, sweets, chocolates in - probably about 10 boxes of cakes because I like to have a little nibble in the evening too have them in for the kids dessert anyway.

I got people staring at my full trolley, heard comments from other shoppers about "ridiculous panic buying". I could onlu buy 2 packets of pasta, I usually bulk buy that as we go through so much.

I got to the checkout and the till operater sighed and shouted across to her colleague "it's gonna be a loooong shift"

I felt so embarrassed. I suffer with terrible anxiety and have been hiding threads left right and centre to avoid feeding it, I've also been avoiding the endless news reports and tabloid sensationalism. I've taken all the advice issued by the NHS, im desperate to keep a lid on my anxiety unleashing full pelt and rendering me unable to function.

Here endeth the rant.

Have to admit I did stare a bit at someone who took all the Lindt Easter eggs off the shelves yesterday, even the 2 £20 giant bunnies. They must have had about £400 worth of eggs in the trolley.

They probably worked with a youth service or in a care home etc. I used to work in the latter and was often dispatched on Easter Egg and selection box runs (or in very hot weather I would go and buy a load of ice lollies for the residents!)

Have to admit I did stare a bit at someone who took all the Lindt Easter eggs off the shelves yesterday, even the 2 £20 giant bunnies. They must have had about £400 worth of eggs in the trolley.

I do this, as I work in care. Although our children don’t get Lindt. More like Cadbury’s.

I had totally forgotten it’s my sons birthday party in a fortnight and I’ll need to cater a kids party and a family one over the course of a weekend. That’s going to be a fun trip!

Yeah it's weird isn't it. I'm going away next week and wanted to buy hand sanitizer for use at the beach or if we stop for ice cream, 3x hand soaps because there will be 3 sinks in our lodge and toilet roll as we are nearly out and I was planning on taking 3 rolls since they normally don't sell rolls in 3s. I felt so guilty!

We had to go to 2 different supermarkets and ended up with loads of loo roll as tesco only had it in 24 packs!

(Still planning on going because it's; within uk, detached lodge, no group activities and we'll mostly be doing stuff outside so probably less contact with people than if we cancelled)

Maybe wear some blinkers, OP. It's not fun!

I bought 4 dozen eggs yesterday. Two other shoppers watched me as I checked the eggs, and when I turned away from the eggs there were two more looking at me and shaking their heads! Their judgeypants were hoiked sooo high. FGS there was no shortage of eggs. I have 3 hungry teens at home, one of them growth-spurting visibly. Those eggs will be gone in a week.

I shop daily and the it just all seems crazy! Just get on with your daily lives (I mean the other people - not you shopping). Our Tesco car park was full this morning, so I went to Waitrose. There was no toilet paper or kitchen roll, no normal long life milk - only alternatives and nearly all flour gone too.

My list had bananas, tissues, pizza, bread flour and bleach on it - all things we use normally!

@thunderpython Don't feel bad!

Yes!

I usually buy an absolutely massive bag of pasta, (have a good space to store it and I just always have) and it’s running low now. If I buy my usual massive bag then people will think I’m panic buying.

I also need toilet rolls at the same time.

I need to get over myself and just do the shop though. (If they even have pasta and loo rolls in stock.)

@Dilbertian

I automatically assumed you meant Easter eggs then!

Oooooo now there's a thought!

I’ve been away for 6 weeks so had to do a reasonably big shop, only had the choice of either 4 or 24 loo rolls, so hot the big pack, the people in front in the queue were laughing at me !

Yes I hear you. I went and did my usual weekly shop at Aldi yesterday and people were muttering about me at the tills. I was chatting with the man in the till and said quite loudly "I bet people think I'm stockpiling they should try feeding all my children" then afterwards thought what I dick I am needing to justify myself to Mr and Mrs judgey pants.

i go to homebargains once a month and buy cleaning supplies, laundry detergent, lunch box items and other bits and bobs and usually spend around £70.
i went yesterday and stocked up on my usual's and the women on the till started a huge rant before she served us about selfish people going into lock down and buying everything. me and my husband ignored it but then she didn't talk to us at all whilst serving us and was practically throwing my shopping at me!
we didn't have many items you would consider stock pile items, but i felt so embarrassed!
we were one of the few people with a trolley load. its a bit unfair to target people just because you assume their being selfish and buying everything.

I know the feeling in my normal fortnightly ‘big’ shop ( we do a huge shop fortnight and then just buy fresh veg, milk, bread in between as and when needed- we live rurally so it’s a fair drive to an actual supermarket)

Yesterday my shop included 2 paracetamol ( i use a lot for my time of the month, so it’s needed) 2 liquid soap (1 for kitchen, 1 for the one bathroom that was running low) 24 pack of loo roll (I always buy 24 packs and it’s cheaper per roll and it’s something we all need and use so why buy small packs) and lots of tins of butter beans, chickpeas, chopped toms etc as always for dinners.

At the checkout I was met with eye rolls from the person behind me and many “jokes” from checkout lady about stocking up with ALL my paracetamol and toilet roll 🙄

Also had 3 bottles of gin and 6 cava but no comment on that......

The crazy thing there isnt a shortage of food , supermarkets have limited storage space so they always have several deliveries a day ,

Same. I had to go into Tesco to buy 5 packs of soya milk (milk allergy) for the week and had nosey glares from queuers. Funny thing is, the only reason why I bought them is that the delivery driver said they has run out due to panic buying, it wasn't in with my weekly grocery delivery.

#feelingthelove