Are you stocking up on food/household items?

[DaisyDooley]

Have you started ‘stocking up’ on items you think might be rising sharply or might become harder to get hold of?
We know that there will be a knock on effect of ships being stuck in the Straight of Hormuz.
I read that food prices are expected to go up by 9% by Christmas. I can’t remember where I read it don’t shoot me but I thought at the time that it was a ‘proper’ source (as opposed to my mates from school on Facebook).
If you are stocking up -what are you buying?

global food prices are rising with no end in sight.

100% this.

Most European nations have given their citizens advice to have at least a few days, if not more, food/water/first aid supplies. Sweden, Norway, Finland, Germany, Denmark, France, Netherlands, Lithuania, Latvia - to name some of them. The difference with the UK is that we don't appear to broadcast this information, there's a Prepare campaign but it's so low key most have likely missed it. The UK should have this as a default and it should have been broadcast to all citizens long before this war began, as a general preparedness thing. I don't know that it is with the governments in this country, they seem not to want to do this, in case people 'panic', instead of urging everyone to make sure they have supplies as a natural and normal way of life.

So now of course if Russia suddenly decide to target our drone factories because we supply Ukraine (they recently threatened this) then people would at least have supplies in when the drone takes out the local supermarket as well as the drone factory. Isn't it just common sense? But no, most here seem to want to just ignore all this, defaulting to 'well if a nuke hits we can't do anything' or 'it won't happen here'. Sure, but notice the Ukraine-Russia war - any nukes used yet? No, of course not. But plenty of missiles and drones. And people still trying to go about their normal lives. That's what could happen here (hopefully not, but so many EU nations are pushing increases in defence and getting more young people to sign up to the military). We all need to prepare as much as we can, why are we different from, say, the Scandinavians who do so?

I don't panic buy, I usually try to make sure we have in more than we immediately need. So I won't run us down to our last tin of tomatoes or roll of loo paper (actually that's a bad example, loo roll is the main thing I DO run out of and cut it a bit fine! I experimented with washable rags over Covid though and that system was perfectly bearable) and I'll keep household supplies at a reasonable level. Not Super Prepper amounts, but definitely enough for being able to live for two weeks without leaving the house. My camping stove isn't really suitable as it's a rocket stove (it burns little bits of wood and obviously not indoors) so I should buy a gas cartridge one, but I had one of those from Aldi, and while camping, the gas leaked and then rather excitingly flames were burning from every crevice and seam of it and I had to throw a wet tea towel over it and bin it. So be careful with those gas cartridge stoves!

Most other countries advocate for this (and our government has recently started to advise keeping enough in to enable you to live off it for several days) and they're pretty level-headed about it. We live in very uncertain times. I can foresee all sorts of reasons why we might, with very little notice, have to lock down, stay indoors, etc. There's no point in prepping for an all-out nuclear war because only the rich and the very remote and self-sufficient could survive that (and who would want to?) but for everything else, it's sensible to think and plan forwards a bit.

In the current crisis, and who knows how that'll unfold, I'm anticipating lots of shorter-term shortages of foods - we've already been told that fruit and vegetables that require certain gases to ripen them, or preserve them for transport, might be in short supply. Since one of my kids is autistic and has a really limited range of foods he considers edible, and two of them are vegetables we import from Spain, I'm going to try growing those this year. Without erecting a heated greenhouse I'm not going to get a long growing period for them but it'll make me feel better!

I know the OP was talking about prices rather than shortages. I think most of us will probably just decide to go without certain things (once we've used up our stores) until things improve.

I live in the sticks in the Shires anyway, so I do this as routine - stocking up on stuff/stockpiling. Been here over a decade. It's second nature to me now (and to DH.)

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I'm for one glad somebody IS talking about this and started this thread. In real life, in my circle at least, no-one is talking about it, even dare mentioning the iran war on food supplies or prices gets shuts down pretty quickly and frowned upon. Possibly, to do with what happened in the early days of covid with the panic buying.? I have been shocked at the prices rises already, but again not allowed to talk about it.

Not at the moment, they won't, because currently supplies aren't yet compromised. Buying a little more than you need immediately (which is good housekeeping, NOT panic buying) will actually increase supplies if manufacturers see any increased demand. They will increase supplies to supermarkets of certain things in response. Supply and demand.

The advantage being, IF in 9 months the price of certain dry goods (or fresh things you've been able to freeze) has gone up very steeply, some of us will at least have a decent store of those things to consume. And live in hope that prices will come down again by the time we run out.

We have emergency supplies for earthquakes anyway, but my husband works in finance and as soon as the Iran situation started he got straight onto stocking up. He knew prices would rise worldwide and pretty quickly too.

I know your comment was three whole days ago - but (assuming you're watching the news unfold) isn't it uncanny how a really volatile and fragile situation can change?

Just a fortnight’s otc painkillers, as I need them - not expecting them to run out but definitely can’t risk it.

Might add a bit more pet food to next shop, as I’m now feeling guilty for not thinking about their needs too.

Why do you think people don't want to talk about it? Are they in denial? Or they simply don't want to talk about war. It fascinates me, I find geopolitics and what's going on very interesting and how events impact us here in the UK.

All my friends say they are glued to the news and are interested in talking about it in depth but not this particular aspect.

Sorry, I didn't answer the question - I guess they believe there won't be empty shelves - perhaps its ludicrous to suggest this and scaremonging. I guess talking about prices and money is not-the-done thing either. Nobody has said these things - this is my reading between the lines - as I say, the conversation is shutdown instantly.

But the OP isn’t talking about panic buying when there are shortages, she’s suggesting slowly stockpiling now, when there aren’t shortages, so that when shortages happen, she and other stockpiles aren’t competing for reduced numbers of items.

Its suggesting thinking about food supply issues before they are an issue.

sorry to answer your question OP- I thought I’d buy a few extra tins of the things I buy already. But as it’s chicken and pork we might have issues with quickly, I don’t find chicken freezes and thaws well, but bacon does, so that might be my stock up choice.

We normally have some frozen vegetables in (usually peas, sweetcorn, sliced peppers and butternut squash chunks), might buy a second bag of each over the next few shops to make sure we have extra shops.

Thinking further, we often cook with chickpeas, kidney beans and black beans, might make sure we have extra stock of those if meat is going to be in short supply. Ensuring our non-meat proteins are stocked up would be sensible, and if it’s all sorted with no issues, those are things we eat anyway so won’t be a waste.

So bizarre. Well, follow your own gut instincts! And mosey over to the Prepper section if you want more tips. :)

Not for the people who stock up now though.

I think it's sensible to have a buffer in, if people think that having a buffer is panic buying, then that's on them.

A few bits and pieces that were really hard to get hold of during Covid that my autistic child likes (she would rather starve/dehydrate than eat or

Yes definitely this. My son had a pack of noodles everyday when he got in as it makes the end of his school day and transition to home. Could not get them for love nor money during covid. We always have two weeks worth in ever since.

Some people seem to take some weird pride in living day to day and relying on takeaways etc.

Obviously I appreciate there are some people who can't afford to stock up and that's completely different but some people act like being prepared for potential disruption is showing some kind of weakness. Its bizarre.

I always have long life milk because when it snows, I stay home. We have an allotment, still have leeks and the last of the spring cabbage (which I’m not eating as is full of insects) last of stores potatoes in February.
But if we had food shortages they raid the allotment!
I use a food waste supermarket and Olio. We waste so much food in the UK just because it doesn’t look perfect.

I think for some people it is too frightening to think about things going wrong, and comforting to think that the people who do think about that are just 'panickers'. Their instinct is to wait until the bad thing is right on top of them rather than to go through the experience of thinking about it in advance and feeling afraid.

For other people, their way of dealing with that fear is to find out as much as possible about the risk, and what they can do, and then to take some steps to reduce the risk. That's how they deal with the fear.

Years ago someone on here linked to research into those two groups and their different ways of dealing with what's essentially the same fear - it's interesting. Both groups are not unreasonably protecting their mental health, but they're doing it in different ways.

Meanwhile, governments are so terrified by the idea of 'panic' that they go too far in the other direction and discourage anything that might produce fear (not just panic, any fear at all), when actually in some risky situations you need people to feel a healthy amount of fear, in order to promote action. Governments shouldn't ever lie to people to scare them, but they shouldn't lie to them to reassure them either.

It doesn't matter whether it's heart disease (and prevention via diet), or risks of supply disruptions (and preparation via having three days worth of food in) - either way a healthy amount of fear, well short of panic, can prompt useful action to reduce risks.

Reassuring everyone that everything will be fine forever and nothing can ever go wrong, out of a desire to prevent panic, or on MN out of a fear of being seen as panicking, just gets in the way of useful action. Then if the bad things really do happen, everyone is less prepared and the outcome ends up being worse.

Thank you.
l was amazed at the number of posters who replied ‘no’ or accused me of panic buying. 🤦🏼‍♀️
I was relived when sanity arrived and agreed with me!
Im buying some pork loin while it’s on offer as that will be hard to get hold of ( allegedly) and I can do lots with it.

I tend to have well stocked cupboards normally as we are v. rural, nearest (Aldi) supermarket is 40 mins drive away. The cost of getting there means we try to reduce the number of shopping trips. In addition we can get stranded. Weather events such as snow/flooding can cut us off for up to a fortnight. Even trees brought down during storms can cut us off for several days (and those are usually accompanied by power cuts-no gas where we are and a borehole that depends on electricity). While we won't change our buying habits because we already have to think well ahead we are growing a bit more to help with the fresh veg (from saved seeds). It is possible to cut the base of lettuce/celery/cabbage etc and use those to grow a bit of extra veg. Used to do that when a student. Stick the base in a bit of water. Change daily. Two weeks later transplant to either a pot (or the garden). Microgreens are an excellent suggestion from earlier and may help people who have little space.

I think for some people it is too frightening to think about things going wrong, and comforting to think that the people who do think about that are just 'panickers'.

I think that's definitely true. It does seem bizarre though for people to shout "selfish panic buyers" at those of us following government advice and calmly and quietly stocking up a bit. Surely these posters will be the panic buyers if an emergency happens and they have nothing in stock?

This is a screenshot from the gov.uk website as part of the Prepare campaign. It is pretty useful actually.

I planted extra carrots, lettuce and peas yesterday plus 8 extra strawberry plants (8 plants cost the same as a small punnet of strawberries). If there are food issues then I'll have more than I would otherwise have had to supplement what is available. If there are not food issues, then I won't need to spend as much in the shops. Win win.