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?']

Poor dd usually takes ibuprofen dor periods and I couldn't get any yesterday. Luckily the school first aid room had them and even let her go at the end of the day to get a couple more for the evening. I'm going to try and get some tonight

mindproject "Rationing in shops is a complete waste of time because people are able to go to more than one shop. You can buy 1 lot of loo roll in each shop, but go to 10 shops. Most people are capable of working this out."

I think the people who are capable of working this out, ie applying basic level intelligence and thinking skills, would probably not be panic buying to the extent of wanting 10 packs in the house.

Whereas the people who do go along to wipe shelves clear to the tune of 10 packs in one go would probably not think to traipse shop to shop carefully buying 1 at a time.

Or be arsed to do it if it did occur to them.

You've seen people buy 10 packets of paracetamol in one go gindaddy? Not in the UK, you're only allowed 2 paracetamol products at a time.

Exactly and in supermarkets that means you can't get more than 32 tablets. People may be buying some just in case but that is sensible rather than an example of panicking. The stock was low anyway and has been for some time.

Yes. It is selfish.

I've just been out panic buying toilet paper and hand soap - plenty of both in our local Tesco. No plain paracetamol, but got lemsip. No hand gel for love nor money.

My delivery driver was surprised I didn't have any loo rolls on my order! Apparently he has a van full of them to deliver today.

No ibuprofen though. Luckily dds school has them or she would have to miss school.

Do you think they're likely to bring in ration tickets like they used to have in the wars if people demonstrate they are incapable of behaving selfishly?

People are mental. It's not the apocalypse.

I have set up online orders for the next few weeks - I regularly shop on line anyway so it was mostly filling the trolley with my "usuals". There were 3 things unavailable (ahead of time anyway) - a specific brand of olive oil, a specific type of hot chocolate, and dishwasher cleaner. So doesn't appear to be a problem here yet.

Now, hand santiser, that hasn't been available for a few weeks now - but I have some from camping trips that I can root out of the storage unit (whenever I find a spare half hour to get there and go rooting...).

I went shopping again today and got a few things that don't seem to be selling out everywhere. Cereal and porridge, apples and potatoes to store in the fridge, instant hot choc (the mix with water stuff), long life fruit juice, biscuits and crackers.

I need to go shopping again tomorrow to get some supplies for PIL (late 70s). They are so laid back about it all and haven't even thought about getting some extra bits. If it does get bad soon we don't want them to have to go out shopping. FIL is already not in the best health.

We've also got very elderly and very weak neighbours and will be checking on them. I want to make sure we have enough supplies to share with them if necessary. In fact, a lot in our neighbourhood are elderly and will probably struggle without help

Do you think they're likely to bring in ration tickets like they used to have in the wars if people demonstrate they are incapable of behaving selfishly?

There was no rationing for most of the first world war and people in deprived areas starved in this country. If you read Testament of Youth Vera Brittain describes the health effects on her (very affluent and middle aged) parents. VB had enough food because she was a nurse. In the second world war factories had canteens where food wasn't rationed and restaurants didn't have food rationed (and there was the black market) so even then if you had money you could eat better than if you were poor.

Apparently some people who don't actually even have a baby are buying formula as an alternative to milk. Disgusting behaviour.

Selfish bastard people are way more of a problem than the virus itself

I'll add them to my mental list of people who I hope shit hedgehogs for all eternity Moomin8!

Why the fuck would anyone buy baby formula as a milk alternative? Buying a non dairy milk would make more sense to me.

Yes definitely selfish , pisses me off that I have a can of Heinz tomato soup in my flask for work every day so I am bloody loyal to the brand ..
Now we have the sodding corona virus I can't get any because the bloody idiots around us have rushed in and got all the stock .
So where were they the last other 52 weeks of the year that I was buying it .
Feel like we need a loyalty card to purchase the brands we are loyal to .

Baby formula tastes grim as well, I would definitely rather go without!

It's selfish and quite frankly odd. I can only think this is the behaviour of people that are planning to stay indoors until this is over in c.3 months.

perhaps it was lots of people who LOVE tomato soup buying 2 weeks worth ready to self isolate.....

So the demand has gone right up.

What idiots

Panic buying yes selfish. Prepping over time not selfish. I feel really sorry for the old ones who go in with their pull trolleys looking to do a bit of shopping and there is not much tins or loo paper for them. They are the ones really at risk and in more need to isolate.

well I saw an 80 year old woman walking around earlier without a trolley because the supermarkets were that rammed and there were none left. had a lung compromised husband who she left in the car as she said she darent bring him in. no pasta, no beans, no eggs, no toilet roll. I helped her with the few bits she needed that WERE there.

dont even begin to try and excuse this or try and make out to me that multiple people all at once suddenly needed all the eggs. otherwise it would always be like this. tske just what you need and we will all be fine.

the mindless followers who are doing this because everyone else is need to seriously look at themselves because you're causing people like that who are most at risk to go without. you are not going to be without food. causing all sorts. my friends daughter got injured in a shop this morning because someone pushed her buggy out the way and her fingers got trapped against someone elses trolley.

sort it out - making things so much worse for those who just want to go about their daily lives.

selfish morons

oh and if you need to self isolate, the advice is if you are able to ask friends/family/neighbours. or online shopping. but oh wait no the people actually in need of online services cant because the selfish who are able to go into stores have taken all the spaces. dress it up how you want. every man for himself.

what happened to #bekind of last month

like I said all mindless followers, grow up

Nobody really takes #bekind seriously.

tabby that just about sums up society then doesnt it.

our own stupidity and ignorance will wipe out our race long before any virus does

I’ve been unable to buy sanitary products anywhere and I’m due on. So when I saw some todsy in my local shop I was, for a moment, tempted to buy double what I needed. But I decided then the next woman who desperately needs them can’t get them as they are sat in my cupboard. I have enough for this cycle. Next cycle I will worry about nearer the time. I agree, panic buying is selfish