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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To be surprised that some friends are buying extra food because of Brexit?

999 replies

abacucat · 07/01/2019 11:53

I suspect that specific foods may get be in short supply for a short period of time, but there will still be plenty of food in the shops. It is not going to be Armageddon. So this seemed an over reaction to me. Or am I going to be that person in the disaster movie who is laughing saying everyone is over reacting, who ends up dead when the disaster finally hits?

OP posts:
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Clavinova · 08/01/2019 11:05

Stockpiling food and medicines (whether done by governments, retailers or individuals) is only a short-term measure. Once the stockpile has been used up, then what? If supplies continue to be disrupted, a six-week stockpile only moves the run-out day from 29th March to mid-May

Medicines are now on a rolling stockpile - 6 weeks for 6 months and this could be extended.

people somehow convincing TM that another vote is undemocratic hmm

How can we possibly hold a second referendum without being assured of the outcome? There are too many 'problem' scenarios:

What if 'Leave' wins again with a smaller majority than the first vote? Wait another 2 years for some older voters to die?
What if 'Remain' wins with a tiny majority - smaller than the original 'Leave' vote? Best of 3?
What if 'Leave' wins again but the turnout is much greater than last time? If 'Leave' win with 23m votes, but 21m people vote 'Remain' - it would be harder to say "Sorry you lost" to 21m people than the original 16m.
What if 'Leave' wins again but Northern Ireland are 80% 'Remain'?

I'm not advocating a 'no-deal' Brexit but I can't see how we can hold a second referendum - we are where we are.

Havanananana · 08/01/2019 11:31

Medicines are now on a rolling stockpile - 6 weeks for 6 months and this could be extended.

Medicines are always available on a rolling stockpile, even in 'normal' times. I take three fairly common but vital drugs on a daily basis and live in a large town. Even with the current supply chain in place, it is rare that at least one of my drugs is not available when I go to collect my prescription. I'm not at all confident in the system, nor that Hancock and Grayling have the skills required to manage the coming crisis.

Mookatron · 08/01/2019 11:34

The suggested vote is a three way choice (current deal, no deal, remain) with a supplementary vote system. I suspect the current deal would win. Had the referendum been planned properly it would have included plans for such a second vote in the first place. And any option should need a proper (more than 2%) majority to win. If that means more votes until a majority is reached then so be it. I think this type of thing should be played out in parliament as that's how our democracy supposedly works but the original referendum fucked that right up.

Ollivander84 · 08/01/2019 11:45

I'm just bothered about my meds. Have got 12 weeks supply of injections plus 2 courses of antibiotics in case I need them

MissGiddyPants · 08/01/2019 12:22

So you think a new vote should have three choices thereby splitting the leave vote in two. I know leavers are meant to be thick but I think even they could see through that one.

MattFreisCheekyDimples · 08/01/2019 12:33

Please don't let this very useful and interesting thread degenerate into a leave vs remain vs second referendum vs what-next-best-of-three type bun fight. There are lots of threads like that already if that's the conversation you want to have.

BrexitDestruction · 08/01/2019 12:36

I don't think the EU would agree to a new referendum with No Deal on the ballot anyway. What would be the point from their point of view? They could have that all done and dusted on the 29th March. Why waste time with another tainted vote? (it will be, there's nothing in place to stop it again. Anti immigrant rhetoric is being ramped up in preparation. The bots are out in force).

BrexitDestruction · 08/01/2019 12:36

True Matt. ^

clumsyduck · 08/01/2019 12:50

I hadn't thought to much about this ( deliberately I find it incredibly depressing !!) but the day is getting closer eh !

Some great tips on here going to start stocking up the cupboards a bit .

For those who think people are being dramatic You only need to look at what happens after a few days of bad weather to see what it could be like !!!

polini · 08/01/2019 13:03

If you can afford to stock up on basics then why wouldn't you? You'll use the stuff anyway, and if there is shopping chaos or price times you can weather it out for a bit.

Sadly though this is just another way that Brexit will probably affect poor people more. The people who can't afford to throw a few hundred pounds at advanced supplies will be the ones hunting through shops when truck deliveries are held up.

The very rich elite and politician class won't even notice it all. I'm so fucking sick of it.

Lollypop27 · 08/01/2019 13:17

To the pp who said we are selfish for stocking up and we should be thinking of the poorer people who can’t do this what do you expect us to do? I donate weekly to the food bank and I have a good stockpile already. Surely by getting food now it will be easier for the ones who can’t afford to stockpile to buy food when the time comes? If it all goes tits up I will not be going to the supermarket to fight over a loaf of bread.

The posters who are saying we just need to eat British food do you know how agriculture works. The U.K. is not known for good weather. I have an allotment and 2017 was an awful year for growing due to rain. March to May are the hungry months anyway. Bad weather could wipe uk crops out.

I truly hope we look at this thread in April and all giggle about our panic about needing to stockpile in 2019. Honestly though I don’t think we will.

How long is everyone expecting the delays etc to last?

RegularShowRules · 08/01/2019 13:17

Are small restaurants/takeaways/ corner shops stocking up as they could go under if supplies can't get through quick enough?
The disruption and uncertainty is disgusting, how many jobs are at risk or businesses go under due to this govt?

Jebuschristchocolatebar · 08/01/2019 13:20

Ireland is a huge producer of milk powder for baby formula. It’s exported all over the world and is big business here socstocking up on baby formula is probably something you should think about.

borntobequiet · 08/01/2019 13:21

If I had a small retail business I'd be seriously worried right now.

Capybaras · 08/01/2019 13:26

I work in medicine and receive government updates on what to do in case of a no deal brexit. Out of interest I read the medicines supply guidance and hospitals/pharmacies etc are being advised not to stockpile medications as that can create shortages elsewhere. In fact they will be penalised if found to be stockpiling medication, and health professionals are also not supposed to be over prescribing. The guidance states that the government have supply routes/stockpiles in place and will even fly in short half-life radioisotopes etc for nuclear medicine if required.

Havanananana · 08/01/2019 13:33

Are small restaurants/takeaways/ corner shops stocking up as they could go under if supplies can't get through quick enough?

They only have a limited ability to stock up - small shops, takeaways and restaurants don't have large storerooms as they get their deliveries every couple of days. Stocking up also requires money - they have to pay for their stock and for any suitable storage facilities that they can find. [It is the same situation faced by consumers, who can only stock up to the extent that space and funds allow].

Even the big takeaway chains will struggle - KFC's supply chain broke down a year ago, resulting in over half of their branches closing down for a few days. home.bt.com/news/uk-news/kfc-disruption-to-affect-some-stores-for-rest-of-the-week-11364252964834

At least KFC could see an end to the problem and were up and running again in a week or so. Brexit presents a totally different scenario. The six-day delays quoted in the article
threadreaderapp.com/thread/1082390612517769222.html would mean that the entire delivery system grinds to a halt as food cannot get to shops, ingredients and packaging cannot get to factories etc.

DarienGap · 08/01/2019 13:38

I did some shopping at our local Aldi today and all appeared normal, full shelves etc.
I haven't started my prepping yet apart from boxes of quaker oats, I have 6 in the cupboard.
Dd is a boarder so I'm making space in her room for our supplies. Tbh I'm terrified but hopefully everything will work out OK.

theDudesmummy · 08/01/2019 13:47

This thread is quite nerve-wracking in places (and I am a prepper, albeit a small scale one). I am going to step up the prepping...

RedToothBrush · 08/01/2019 13:48

The politics of leave or remain or a PV are kind of irrelevant at this point. It doesn't matter what you want to happen.

The issue here is to do with what happens in a no deal situation. And whether the government have sufficient capability to manage it. I think you can be a Leaver and still have real concerns in that regard. The government's track record on delivering large scale projects on time under any political party has been somewhat less than perfect over the last 20 years.

Supply chains and any possible disruptions to supply chains are going to have the same universal effect, and frankly NO ONE knows how they will be affected in practice simply because its not been tested in practice. That said there are going to be people who are more able to cope and those who are more at risk IF the government fuck it up.

Matt Hancock's current position is that there will be enough medical supplies IF things go to plan. But what if they don't? He is nervous enough to put the if in the sentence. When there is doubt from the Cabinet itself, I think considering possible issues that might particularly affect you us wise. It does stop you being either pro Brexit or pro remain or pro 2nd Ref. It makes you conscious that there are serious logistical challenges that no deal would present.

Think about where you are in terms of supply chains. More rural areas may face greater delays if they are not seen as priorities. The large number of people in town and cities means that if there are shortages there may be more unrest if they are not prioritised first. More rural areas might have food closer to them in principle but that doesn't mean it will be available to locals.

Also if you have certain dietary problems, making sure you are well on top of your essentials isn't a stupid thing to do. Just don't fill your house with tinned sardines you would never normally eat!

A healthy dose of reality over supply chains is really not a bad thing. If you are into animal welfare, supporting your country, considering the environment etc. The issue is that this does come with a price tag, which not everyone can afford and a sudden shock to the system can't avoid prices - at very least in the short term - being at risk of being highly volitile and unpredictable.

It also is worth saying that when you stock up your own cupboard, if you can help stock up a local food bank, that's also could be extremely valuable. Anything that effectively helps to 'warehouse' over the next few weeks and before we start getting to a couple of weeks before and the penny starts to drop with the public at large that it might not be as easy and smooth and uneventful as some say.

I genuinely hope none of this comes to pass, but I ask the question of whether I can take that risk and believe it will all be OK. And since I'm not a gambler, I'd prefer to hedge my bets and make sure I could last a while before it starts to become a real concern. Its not about being right or wrong, it's about ensuring I'm not caught short.

The whole thing with Brexit is its a system shock. That alone should make you think that there will be SOME problems. They might be what we think they will be. Or they could be something completely unforeseen. Or both. The idea there won't be, is not to understand what Brexit is.

theDudesmummy · 08/01/2019 13:52

Havana the bald "no recovery" that appears in that thread you posted, that is terrifying...

Mookatron · 08/01/2019 13:52

You're right MattFreisCheekyDimples. I didn't mean to get into a leave/remain debate. I just wanted to say that stocking up makes me feel a little like I have some control over my life where the current political situation does not. I am trying (unsuccessfully) not to get embroiled in arguments for my own sanity anyway!

TheElementsSong · 08/01/2019 13:57

stocking up makes me feel a little like I have some control over my life where the current political situation does not.

I feel similar Mookatron and I'm Hmm at Leavers who have a problem with this - after all, they should love the idea of people feeling like they're "taking back control" right?

RedToothBrush · 08/01/2019 14:01

Are small restaurants/takeaways/ corner shops stocking up as they could go under if supplies can't get through quick enough?

The government have completely forgotten and disregarded pretty much ALL small businesses. Small businesses do not have the capital nor cash flow to have alternative plans and the lack of government advice - because the government themselves can not make a formal decision over which option to take - is contemptible.

If customs checks are introduced suddenly small businesses will not necessarily have the knowledge nor staff to be able to deal with the paperwork or legal requirements.

When we joined the single market in 1992 there was a long campaign and coordinated advice given by government to advice everyone. The reverse of this is much more complex and significant yet the advice has been completely inferior in comparison.

If I were a small business owner of any kind, I'd have really serious concerns.

It's not just whether you are in the food business either or if you source from abroad . If there is a sudden increase in prices, then this will affect how people spend their money generally. If the cost of living goes up, the chances of a recession go up too. If your margins are small and you have got sufficient funds in the bank to ride out a volitile economic climate, yes you could be stuffed.

Honestly I despair of it all. Brexit COULD have been done efficiently and smoothly if there had been honesty and a properly thought out plan of what we were doing and how we could achieve it BEFORE we triggered A50. But no. And that's the biggest scandal of all. The recklessness and ill thought out nature of something so big and complex that it needed more than someone 'winging it'.

Housingcraze · 08/01/2019 14:01

My DM has done a big Iceland order for freezer but my concern is what if we start having power cuts due to energy coming from abroad

WellBHoise · 08/01/2019 14:02

@Scrowy That was a good post about people expecting to rock up and buy from you