To ask if you're stockpiling for Brexit...

[Arkos]

Genuinely curious question....
If you are stockpiling for Brexit are you a) making sure you've a free bottle of your favourite wine in just in case it's tricky to obtain and there might be some inconvenience or b) stockpiling enough essentials for months as you are really afraid people will starve.

And if it's b.... what measures have you taken/will take to protect your stash.

I'm very interested in the discussion about Australian wine, not just because I drink it a lot but also because it's a good example of the established complexity of supply lines and the consequences of the changes that Brexit will bring.

I can't see how prices won't rise. Forced change brings costs.

Sort of. We usually shop daily or every couple of days because we are so disorganised/find it hard to do big shops with kids in tow/can't afford to do big stock up online shops regularly. Some of these posts have been a bit of a wake up call so we've cleared out a cupboard and started to fill it with essentials that would be really helpful to have in even without the anticipation of brexit. So far we've just bought extra bags of pasta, jars of pesto, extra nappies, paracetamol. Hoping to keep it up and have a good stash by March, if there is no short term issue with deliveries or prices don't rise then it's fine because it's all things that would be useful to have extras of anyway. I can't imagine we'll manage to stock up enough things to last very long but something is better than nothing.

I remember that when I worked in wine import some South American wines for example were shipped over wholesale in x hectolitre tankers and only bottled once they reached the EU, so that they could be sampled, analysed, quality checked and approved for sale there beforehand. So that process all takes time.

I normally have a fair bit of stuff in anyway but decided that I should do a proper stock up that would also be preparation for if there is any chaos. Do need some food stuff but was looking at cleaning stuff and reckon I have at least 3 months worth of washing powder and 6 months worth of dishwasher tabs at the moment so that may keep us going till the zombies are brought under control

Has anyone bought a camping stove or equivalent?? We are totally reliant on utility companies for heating/cooking, other than BBQ...

Neighbours on either side of our house have teamed up with us to co-ordinate storage (one couple are in their early 80s. We have so far we are stocked for a month for hygiene products, washing and cleaning stuff and non-prescription medicine.
We are now buying , cleaning and prepping fresh fruit and veg for freezing. Shared meals from April, less wastage, more storage space in freezers. Tinned food shopping planned for feb. Lentil rice oil when offers are too good to resist.
Elderly neighbours guided us to plant and grow tomatoes and potatoes last year so it will come in handy.

Their memories of rationing is driving this process so some panic prep involved. But I thank my lucky stars for such organised neighbours.

Yes, I started today. I was doing a post-Christmas stock up anyway so have taken advantage of discounts on loo roll, toothpaste, pasta, tins etc and done some bulk buying. Depending on the outcome of Tuesday's vote (& next Friday's contingency plan after May's deal is voted down) I'll have a trip to Costco and keep adding more each week. It's all stuff that we use anyway so if everything's fine (wishful thinking) it'll get used anyway.

there is then an additional customs process to go through when they hit the UK border which isn't currently required in the UK. Which is where the delays and problems then occur

I haven't done import/export for many years, but when I did there was paperwork involved whether EU or non-EU. The same paperwork is involved, just different codes required. Also, now, the majority is digital. I suppose I am an optimist, and hope that commercial necessity will prevail.

How long would it take to get through 40lb of white granulated?

I used to have relatives who used 8-9lbs a week for the 2 of them. It ha to be said that they baked a lot and had the sort of hospitality that wouldn't be satisfied until they were near to Strasbourg Goose levels of over-feeding people who dropped in.

Meanwhile, other relatives had a bag of sugar in for that would last for > 1 year because it was for visitors who took sugar in their tea.

I'd miss sugar as I bake on a large scale and make jam/curds/pickles.

No. I can’t afford the extra spend as daily living is enough of an expense. I have spent years building up a fat body due to pcos and I am going to use my fat reserves to keep me going

Sorry Atchiclees " fat reserves " won't help.

I don't think it's remotely odd to think that a lot of products which come from outside the EU would come directly to the UK, if they are for the UK. Ditto for Ireland - Dublin's port and airport are not small.

As for New World wine, it comes in what are effectively huge plastic bags and is bottled in Europe. However, I couldn't tell you where it comes into. So I'll buy a few extra bottles of that too.

bellinisurge - Ah drat and bollocks. I was hoping there was some hope.

I love the neighbourly cooperation @godeeva ! So great to combine the know-how of the older generation with the energy of the younger one. :)

Yes, but just stuff we’d buy anyway so baked beans, tinned tomatoes, pasta, rice and UHT milk. I assume even if food can come through the ports the price will go up and if it doesn’t then no matter, we’d eat it anyway.

Godeeva
. What incredible neighbours you have and how amazing to be able to draw on that war spirit with the rationing. I must admit dm was a bit like this.

Just got on with things, didn't wait or mess around.
Imagine if every neighbour, community could get together like this. In more rural areas perhaps a church or village hall could allow some stock piling?

Yes..the nieghbour cooperation is lovely and what we need at a time like this.
Some preppers are too scared to tell even tbeir close friends in case they expect feeding in a crisis.

If neighbours are upfront about working together and pooling resources that's brilliant. However, unless my neighbours can be useful to me, lovely as they are, I will not volunteer that I have food set aside.

It's the intergenerational resources too though. Pragmatic older people who have been through far worse.

Imagine if the elders could be drawn in too offer advice on this etc. It would gel communities together and make brexit a more positive things

It would be strange to end up with a bartering economy.

Elders are a major prepper resource.

Nope.

If we are headed towards no deal we are screwed anyway. So I'll leave the country before it hits.

This makes me feel better because the preppers are stressing me out. Dh keeps telling me that I don't need to but I'm imagining some sort of ww2 shortages. I hope the government decide that this Brexit thing is a huge mistake and we're going to remain.

MiceSqueakCatsMeow , I'm stiff prepping is stressing you out. One of the main reasons to prep is, to coin a phrase, take back control.
As I have trotted out hundreds of times, it is impossible to be wholly self sufficient and impossible to prep for every circumstance. Just focus on 3 full days of what food you need. What you actually eat. Freezer is fine for storage; shelf stable is arguably better. Up to you and your circs. Make sure you have hygiene stuff you need to wash and do your teeth etc. Sod's law means you have everything and then run out of toothpaste.
Think of any pets - what they need for 3 days. Think of snacks, treats and entertainment because it's boring and depressing to hunker down.
I'm saying three days because that is not overwhelming and is doable in batches. You have three days of sussing out your local situation without stressing about getting bog roll and a packet of mince or whatever. Do more if you want but you are already doing well with three days.

I'm stiff???? I mean If.
Have invented worst ever rhyming slag.

I'm starting to stock up, I keep fairly well stocked at this time of year as I live on an island and the ferries and deliveries can be little unreliable in winter(one year they hardly sailed for 10 days in a row!). My concern is that goods have to get to the uk first, then get to our main port to be shipped out to us not just driven up the roads.