is panic-buying selfish?

[cherryx30x]

so I'm sure this is going to be a very mixed opinion but hard hat at the ready. I'm not talking adding a few extra tins of soup to your trolley.

but to take packs and packs of nappies. and all the vitamins. all the medication like paracetomal and calpol?

someone on my facebook was unable to get calpol for her toddler who is actually ill because people had bought the lot in a blind panic. like she said her kid now has to suffer with a temperature because people have bought it over a virus they may not even get and that may only cause them a cough on the mildest end.

I think its extremely over the top to be wiping out the alcohol gel sanitizers (again I know someone with a premature baby who always has them on hand as she has to be a lot more careful who has been unable to find any anywhere), nappies, baby wipes, medications and vitamins

sorry but to me this is just selfish and takes away from people who actually need them. educate yourself and follow basic hygiene- dont wipe out the stores of stuff you probably wont even need and take away from those who currently actually need them

• [Please note, thread title edited by MNHQ - was originally 'Is prepping selfish?']

Might go to the wholesalers at the weekend

We havnt been for ages and dh wants to panic buy red wine

(Not really...he just really really really likes red wine)

I'm a few miles out thankfully, but may hit some of the traffic on the school run Ski I will be avoiding that area as much as possible! I see a lot of racegoers queuing at bus stops in the morning.

I was due to go to an event in Birmingham (Science Fair) next weekend and they've just cancelled that, despite saying earlier this week that it was going ahead!

chic
We were due to go as well. It’s always brilliant, but it is very very hands on, so it does seem sensible.
I had a feeling after the olympia book fair was cancelled Big Bang was going to be as well. Previous years we’ve stayed in a hotel for it, luckily we had decided not to bother this time. So we aren’t losing anything.

Real shame for the exhibitors who have gone to a lot of effort and cost, and the children in the final of the competitions.

It's a great fair, we've been for a number of years too. We drive there and fortunately, we hadn't bought the parking in advance yet. They have said that they are hoping to run the competitions at a later date. Feel sorry for the exhibitors, some of the kit that they bring is amazing!

Oh wow. Today in Australia the fisty cuffs over loo paper have started!

//www.9news.com.au/national/coronavirus-latest-toilet-paper-argument-turns-violent-in-sydney-woolworths/2084508a-4ee4-40d2-9548-2622aef66bd6//

Sorry, clicky link failed

We went to do our usual shop yesterday and all the shops we went had had plenty of everything. We went to Lidl, Morrisons and Wilkinsons. All had hand sanitiser, hand wash, painkillers and loo roll

Wow! All these people saying prepping isn't selfish as they purchased everything over the last few weeks amaze me, how long do you think it takes "just in time supply lines" to react. Also one other threads the "preppers" are usually boasting that they've just boutique x packets of this or that and advising others to miracle at their example and do the same. There will not be supply disruption so shortages are only likley due to increased demand.

Prepping isn't selfish, it's adding one or two extra bits to your shopping, just in time works extremely quickly when supply is good, which when preppers were buying it was. Panic buying is selfish.

So, @SciFiRules, preppers are selfish to have organised themselves weeks ago even though, by your own admission, the carnage caused by panic buyers will have been fixed in a few days? Is that your logic?

It is selfish somewhat beyond a couple of weeks if basics however it is completely natural, it's just a shame people need to do it now, since the dawn of farming our ancestors have always stock piled good harvests to see them through bad times and probably before that also. It's only in the last 30 years or so we have done this less so. As rely too much on Just In Time food production and delivery, I've always been a bit of a prepper but not hardcore, so I try to keep 2-3 months on hand of everything storable, so as far as I'm. Concerned if I only have a month or so of something like loo roll or shampoo left that's when I will buy more not when I run out. So no panic buying from me but I don't bregudge people preparing to buy a little more than normal to get two weeks worth. And maintain that long term. Just don't for get to rotate and meal plan otherwise you'll need up throwing away tins off food years out of date. P.s. I should mention I did stock up on guinea pig food and sawdust recently 🙄😁

It’s a cost as well isn’t it, only the people with spare money can prep.

Well yes and no.
Not if you do it very long term. An extra bag of pasta/tin of beans/tin of soup in every shop won’t add too much.
I’ve always done that because I used to be in a very low paid job where some months were better than others. Having an extra bag of pasta at the end of a bad month was a great help at times.

I always like to make sure that I’ve got enough food to live on and money to pay bills for a month if I were to lose my job suddenly.

However I do acknowledge that I am in the lucky position that I can buy my toilet roll in boxes of 48 because I can afford to and have the space to store it.

(I do know what it is like to be on the bones of your arse where a bag of pasta would break the bank)

I have not panic bought anything. I would like to go to my normal supermarket (which.. incidentally is a 20 mile round trip) and buy my normal shop.
I am unable to do that because of some empty shelves and because of selfish panic buyers and I am pissed off big time.

I would also like to buy one bottle of antibac gel and one packet of antiseptic wipes because me and DH are off on the holiday of a life time, flying longhaul.
I am unable to do that also because of selfish bastards.

I don't know who is making an extortionate profit on hand sanitizer when you can buy it on eBay for £3. Surely people are buying the cheaper stuff still?

This idea that we are all selfish for buying the things we might need in a pandemic is being put out by the authorities to detract from their own incompetence (at best) and keep us all fighting amongst ourselves. Which is what they always, always do. I'm just shocked people haven't noticed the pattern yet. You are being played.

And this idea that the poor can't afford to prep is total bollox. I earn 13k (with no other source of income/benefits) and I prepped 3 years ago. I did it by making prepping my main focus and going without a couple of holidays.

You prepped 3 years ago so for those that want to prep now but can't afford it, they won't reap the benefits for 3 years surely...

I haven't seen antibac handgel on Ebay for that price. I can find 100ml(tiny) for £16 though, or unbranded stuff that I would not trust.

Clearing the shelves in one go is selfish. Buying gradually and having a spare in stock is not.

Now is the time to use the handgel you have got. Only buy what you need to replace. Better for everyone if lots of people have one bottle, and use it. Makes everything safer.

I questioned how selfish it is when parents with premature babies and ill toddlers have to go without calpol and sanitizer because of it

I had a 32 weekend and the only time we used hand sanitizer was in the SCBU. Normal hand washing is fine.

You don't just need spare cash but spare space to prep. It's a very privileged position to be in.

But yes, panic buying is not only selfish but pretty ridiculous too.

Yes,very selfish.

Now is the time to use the handgel you have got. Only buy what you need to replace. Better for everyone if lots of people have one bottle, and use it. Makes everything safer

Handgel only does 40% of the job that soap and water does. I want just one bottle because we are flying long haul and you can't always get to a basin, hot water and soap when travelling.

I wonder how many bottles of hand gel are rattling about in pockets/handbags that will never get used. It's the new fashion to have one, but I think a lot of people will either forget or are too lazy to bother using it. What a waste, and all that plastic eventually going into landfill too.

I don't think one person is clearing the shelves. Most people are just buying 2 or 3 spares, if they haven't prepped for Brexit already. This is completely sensible as a lot of people might need to stay home at some point, given the prediction is 80% of us will get it. This amounts to shelves being cleared in some stores. My local shops haven't sold out of anything, except hand sanitizer, which isn't essential anyway if you are stuck at home. The shelves will get filled again.

I just hope that those that have cleared the shelves suddenly find we have totally turned the corner on this, and they are stuck with a great pile.

Superdrug guy told me that one woman cleared the whole shelf of handgel, and this was just before it was becoming obvious the population might fancy a bottle of the stuff. Selfish cow. They've had a small amount of stock in since, and limited shoppers to 2 bottles.

It is not at all selfish to have things in your home for a rainy day.

All those calling others selfish for having extra supplies, do you not have any money in your bank accounts either? Because that is exactly the same thing.