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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To be surprised ay how busy the shops are?

123 replies

incognitomum · 14/03/2020 15:28

I had to pop to pick up a package from M&S. It was busy and apparently had been non stop all day. Lots of elderly.

Nandos was packed as I passed. Everywhere looked busy. Asda and Aldi car parks packed.

I thought it would be a ghost town.

OP posts:
Original poster
incognitomum · 14/03/2020 15:29

At not ay!

OP posts:
SpunBodgeSquarepants · 14/03/2020 15:31

I get the impression people are thinking along the lines of 'If the government aren't bothered, why should I be?'

HollysBush · 14/03/2020 15:34

Well as the chief medical officer said the other day, it’s a marathon not a sprint. Everyone can’t avoid the shops for five months.

hammeringinmyhead · 14/03/2020 15:35

I went to get everything I need from shops that would close if we went into lockdown like Spain. Also for some extra milk, bread etc. as it's likely we'll be working from home in the next week or so.

TweetUsOnFacebook · 14/03/2020 15:50

It's good that people are getting organised. My mindset is the better prepared we are now (or ideally weeks ago) the less pressure we will put on supply chains going forward. I have enough food and household goods stored for at least a month, more if we really ration everything. So for now I am just buying what we actually need weekly rather than adding to our stock.

As for Nando's etc the last thing I want to do is eat out. But I'm older and have health issues. I think younger healthier people aren't as concerned. I've heard 'it's just like a cold' an awful lot from my adult dcs and their peers.

AmIAWeed · 14/03/2020 15:54

I bought laminate flooring - the idea being if we go into isolation my husband finally gets the bloody flooring changed (I've been asking for months) The lady serving said people had been saying the same all day!

TabbyMumz · 14/03/2020 15:55

Town we went to was chocca.just a normal Saturday.crowds of teenagers as usual too.

DamselInTheStress · 14/03/2020 15:57

AmIaWeed I like your thinking. Ours needs doing too but I have to do it myself!

Lyricallie · 14/03/2020 16:00

@AmIAWeed ha good idea maybe I should get some paint in.

Although I was thinking the opposite Glasgow was feeling really quiet.

heartsonacake · 14/03/2020 16:00

I have enough food and household goods stored for at least a month, more if we really ration everything.

TweetUsOnFacebook You are the reason the shelves are bare everywhere. There wouldn’t be a supply issues if you and others like you didn’t put a strain on demand.

Congratulations. Your irrational anxiety has caused major issues up and down the country.

Allyo19 · 14/03/2020 16:01

AmIAWeed loft boards here! DH would be a nightmare with nothing to do.

DonkeyKong2019 · 14/03/2020 16:03

I have just managed to do a two week shop instead of a weekly one. Can't afford nor have the storage for more but also can't risk not being able to get the essentials

Original poster
incognitomum · 14/03/2020 16:03

Good idea about flooring Grin

OP posts:
AmIAWeed · 14/03/2020 16:03

OMG loft boards...I didn't even think of that, brilliant idea, another job that needs doing but never quite seems urgent! I work from home though usually so assuming we aren't sick there's nothing change and I can only push him so far when I'm not helping myself!!!

SummerHouse · 14/03/2020 16:04

So for now I am just buying what we actually need weekly rather than adding to our stock.

Think you missed this part heartsoacake

pisspants · 14/03/2020 16:06

@heartsonacake you dont know how long TweetusonFacebook has been building up her store. I am in the same situation building up what I have for well over a year it is the people who haven't prepared who are causing the current issues. Because I know I have enough food in the house for weeks, I dont have any sense of panic to get to the shops or buy more than I need when there

DrySnitch · 14/03/2020 16:09

You are the reason the shelves are bare everywhere.

Depends on how long they've been stocking up for, doesn't it? We could get by for a couple of weeks on what we have around at the moment and that's just natural surplus from normal shopping. We might have some interesting food combinations though Envy

Aragog · 14/03/2020 16:11

They aren't that busy here.

I called in at our big shopping centre this morning briefly and last Sunday . Last week it felt much quieter. This lunchtime it was even quieter. You could park very close to the store fronts for a change. The cafes and restaurants all had plenty of seats available, even though it was peak lunch time. The Apple store where I was heading had just been closed for the foreseeable.

We then called into own briefly and it was the same. Lots of shops and restaurants were very quiet, some pretty much empty. To be fair the M and S food hall was still fairly busy but not as busy as normal.

ScrimpshawTheSecond · 14/03/2020 16:11

YANBU. We've been on voluntary lockdown to try and slow the spread. It's not easy, honestly. My partner went to the chemist earlier to get something, and town was apparently full of old folk, shopping, chatting, dawdling about, not a second thought, it seems, about protecting themselves. I suppose if the govt guidelines are to be believed it's just a case of 'hope for the best', so they're following official advice.

I think it's madness. I'm really worried about the next few months. What does the UK govt know that every other govt in the world, and the WHO, doesn't?

DoubleAction · 14/03/2020 16:12

I think people believe this weekend might be their last chance and are preparing to batton down the hatches.

My parents who are in their 70s and in good health, routinely have a well stocked storecupboard but have been out this weekend to go to the bank, stock up on library books, buy garden supplies, refill prescriptions, fill the car with petrol, all in preparation for self isolating themselves, even if it doesn't come by government decree.

Babytigerrr · 14/03/2020 16:16

Busy here too. Asda was averagely busy for a sat afternoon. Few bits missing off shelves.

Aldi was carnage. I have never been so stressed in my life.

ouch321 · 14/03/2020 16:17

I was in a big Tesco; it was pretty busy - probably no more/less than usual.

All the loo rolls were still out of stock. I got everything I wanted bar porridge oats where the shelves had been 90% emptied.

Went to H&M but it was closed, presumably as it's Spanish owned and maybe they don't want to operate without head office support.

Cacaca · 14/03/2020 16:18

Just like you - they maybe also had things to do?

HaudYerWheeshtYaWeeBellend · 14/03/2020 16:21

I’ve got enough to food and cleaning products to last 6-8 weeks, haven’t stockpiled or panicked purchased.

TweetUsOnFacebook · 14/03/2020 16:22

heartsonacake

We have had a stock for a long time and certainly haven't been panic buying. It's lucky we have because we are not adding to the problem now. The trouble is we're used to having everything at our fingertips when and where we want it and don't plan for the day it might not be there.
We have elderly relatives who are at the forefront of our minds too. If we are prepared ourselves, we can help them.
I think a lot of people will change their mindset now and will think about planning for events that are out of their control.