Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

See all MNHQ comments on this thread

Original poster

is panic-buying selfish?

449 replies

cherryx30x · 05/03/2020 11:05

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?']
OP posts:
Original poster
cherryx30x · 05/03/2020 13:10

winter you've just said you dont want happening to you exactly what I've just said has happened to these two mums - why should their children have to go without completely when they actually need it now?

hearts - stock up on what? air? these people have cleared the shelves for a virus IF most of us get will be fairly mild in all probability

OP posts:
heartsonacake · 05/03/2020 13:11

stock up on what? air? these people have cleared the shelves for a virus IF most of us get will be fairly mild in all probability

Again, we know people panic buy in these situations. So it would have been clever and proactive to make sure you were ready before they did so. We’ve had a couple of months of this virus spreading now.

You can’t control others actions, but you can control your own.

Original poster
cherryx30x · 05/03/2020 13:14

I think @IheartNiles pretty much sums it up anyway and I totally agree. if its really going to be as bad as some of you are predicting, normal rules wont apply now will they and people will do what they need to get their hands on medication etc. including breaks ins and raids.

basic common sense has seriously gone amiss with all this corona malarkey

OP posts:
Original poster
cherryx30x · 05/03/2020 13:15

hearts I have literally never seen anything like it in my 26 years so no, I havent seen people panic buying like this and wouldnt be prepared

OP posts:
LASH38 · 05/03/2020 13:16

I think winter is planning in advance to ensure she doesn’t end up in the same position as those mums.

I have a teething baby. He hasn’t needed calpol but as said I have an opened bottle, a spare and some sachets JUST IN CASE. I thought that it was a normal thing to do?

FourTeaFallOut · 05/03/2020 13:16

It was common sense to know that there would be large demand and huge pressure on basic medicine stocks and essential food during a pandemic.

mindproject · 05/03/2020 13:16

By common sense, you mean your opinion.

LASH38 · 05/03/2020 13:17

For the record, my spare was not purchased recently!

FourTeaFallOut · 05/03/2020 13:18

Is that for me, mind?

mindproject · 05/03/2020 13:19

My common sense was to buy a lot of bleach, loo roll and soap 3 years ago.

Turns out, my common sense was right.

bobstersmum · 05/03/2020 13:22

Yes it is! I've just been to do a top up shop and almost every person had a huge pack of loo roll, I can't understand that at all? There was no paracetamol on the shelves at all. My old mum is one of the lunatics buying it all!

Milkwith1sugar44 · 05/03/2020 13:24

I thought you were only allowed to buy one paracetamol product?

Original poster
cherryx30x · 05/03/2020 13:26

depends how much you buy into it all really, I personally dont and I'm not ashamed to admit that. think it's all a load of bollocks. know I'll get flamed for that but yeah really beyond it now, blindly believing everything the media shows and tells you, educate yourself seriously. coronavirus isnt a new thing, there are so many strains of it and yes it can kill people but it's not likely to be killing Susan next door with her 20 sanitizers, 100 pack of loo roll and and 20 pack of paracetomal

OP posts:
bobstersmum · 05/03/2020 13:26

Well in the likes of poundland you can buy any three for 1 out of paracetamol and ibuprofen so I'm assuming most shops allow 2 or 3?

mindproject · 05/03/2020 13:28

You have always been able to buy as much paracetamol as you like, you just need to go to more than one shop. Surely most people have worked that one out?

LASH38 · 05/03/2020 13:28

Just to warn everyone - Johnson on Good Morning stayed that there’s no need to panic buy.

As a compulsive liar, I suspect his reassurance will have the opposite effect.

For what it’s worth, I do think panic buyers are selfish, but my definition is not people who buy a few more bits, but those who bulk buy to excess when they wouldn’t normally.

DifficultPifcultLemonDifficult · 05/03/2020 13:29

I saw what was going on in other countries and stocked up over the last few weeks.

Selfish - probably, but it's my job to look after my kids and make sure they have all they need. We now have enough food, toilet roll and medicine to last all of us a month or so if need be.

LASH38 · 05/03/2020 13:29

*stated

Shandied · 05/03/2020 13:30

It is an inherently selfish act, buying for your own without thought for others, but it's understandable to have a few bits and bobs in just in case. Always have some calpol in, saves dragging a poorly baby about to get some, always have a spare pack of nappies in as well just in case I am poorly and can't go out to get more. I realise not everyone can afford to do that, but it has been all over the news and social media, it isn't a huge surprise that people are buying these sort of things. Loo roll you notice more because everyone uses it, I bought a big pack the other day, not because of corona but because of possible supply chain issues with isolation and travel bans etc.

TLDR: sort of selfish but also sensible (as long as reasonable and not 100 packs of something).

Shandied · 05/03/2020 13:32

@cherryx30x that's fine, but it's not necessarily the risk of catching it yourself that is the issue, it's the possible impact on supply chains, shop staff, factory operatives being able to work to keep supply going if schools are closed or more people self isolate. Measures such as those will more than likely be put in place at sometime, it's not irrational to be trying to do something before it's a huge issue Confused.

Apirateslifeforme · 05/03/2020 13:34

Its very selfish to panic buy the way a lot of people have. Me and DDs immune systems are absolute shite, and we have a lot of health issues anyway.
We always have hand sanitiser, bought a few extra bottles about a month ago in preparation. As its been used, we started looking for more yesterday and theres none to be found.
I also have OCD so this is quote distressing for me

cologne4711 · 05/03/2020 13:37

OP - I would suggest that your friend goes onto a local FB group, says she really needs some Calpol and does anyone have any she can have or do they know a shop that has it in stock?

NeverKnewThat · 05/03/2020 13:39

My friend (in another country) had to fucking steal toilet paper from a public toilet because all the panic buyers had brought up all the toilet rolls within a 50 mile radius.

She does not have the money to buy anything in bulk.

Bloody selfish.

cologne4711 · 05/03/2020 13:41

DH has just been into our local town centre and says there is no loo roll in Waitrose (he didn't look in Sainsburys). We're ok as I have an extra big pack of it from my Brexit stockpile. if we use that and can't get more, I have a shower head I can take down, so I can squirt myself! A friend has a bidet so she's ok too.

slippermaiden · 05/03/2020 13:43

I couldn't buy any ibuprofen or paracetamol yesterday, the shelves were empty! I have had a tooth removed and am in quite a lot of pain, posses off doesn't quite cover it!!