Suggestion re prepping/stockpiling as suggested by government

[faithfultoGeorgeMichael]

I just wanted to mention that for us, our milkman was the hero of covid and no doubt will be again if there is a supply chain disruption.

The cows will be milked and the milk delivered everyday, because that is just what they always do! and they also do eggs, fruit, butter, all dairy, veg, some tins, bacon - a little corner shop by whatsapp and delivered to your door. Yes a bit more expensive that the supermarket but much fresher and all very locally produced.

I know not everywhere has a milk man available but I thought I would share, our milk man is also superb for finding any lost parcel from a mis-delivery photo and doing daily checks on elderly and vulnerable people, a total superstar.

It’s great, but around here it costs about 4x the cost of buying milk in the shop. We also used it during COVID. But most people cannot afford that sort of luxury.

I think the issue with the government guidance is that it’s not to have a home stock to avoid going to the shops so you don’t transmit a then potentially fatal virus for which we had little evidence base for treatment and prevention.

It’s about having stock in the event that the supply chain collapses and financial systems are down (due to, say, cyberattacks). The online ordering system would go down, as would your bank’s payment system. If the shops couldn’t get the basics, then home delivery services won’t either as the supply chains are not vastly different. The internet and financial institution systems worked just fine during COVID.

I highly doubt it costs you 4 x as much. It's around 85p for 1 pint in the shops and around £1.80 for 4 pints. Are you really saying that would be £3.40 for 1 pint and £7.20 for 4 pints. I really doubt it.

In Tesco I pay around 44p a pint, if I used our local milk man it's 1.15 a pint plus £2.40 a week delivery so it's a lot more.

Presumably a power outage at a farm will result in difficulty milking the cows.

Every dairy farm I know (4 so not an extensive number!) has a back up generator for this, they need power to milk and store milk. No milking for a day and like women, they stop producing milk.

44p a pint here, and its delicious totally different to the supermarket milk.

The supply chain will not collapse - it is literally travelling a mile 😂and he takes cash as well as bank transfer. And he'd deliver on a promise if needed.

Support British farmers, this current situaion shows how much we need them!

Tesco 1 pints are 85p.

My milk is 44p a pint delivered, I will find an invoice and take a photo when I get home

I don't quite understand the point of this argument. Lovely that you can get milk and veg but you won't be able to live on it. Also if it was a cyber attack, cash will run out. If everyone buys milk milk will run out. And believe me supply chains will collapse indeed. Do you know uk imports 60% of its food. If its power outage water and all production stops. Medicines are mostly imported. There are just many many different types of risks and many variables. When that's the case don't just rely on your milkman but do a bit of stockpiling for different eventualities....

That's good to know.

Once the diesel in his van runs out he won’t be able to refill if there’s no electricity, so no doorstep deliveries. If the genny runs on diesel the same applies. He also won’t be able to bank your cash or get change if there’s no power more widely.