Is it actually selfish to stock pile?

[Orange89]

Now I haven’t gone crazy with the whole loo roll situation (I currently only have 2 rolls left) and have been doing my usual shops (average of 3 small shops a week) but it’s safe to say I’m focusing my food on long life semi-healthy foods I can store in the cupboard space we have. It’s a little more than usual but nothing crazy. All I’m hearing is stockpiling is a stupid move but surely and obviously more people are doing this than letting on as the shops are emptying. But surely this is purely practical move? I know this could face backlash from people saying some people can’t afford to stockpile (I can’t really either) but I’m talking high calorie, cheap alternatives instead of the fresh foods they’d normally buy. Or that demand can’t be met but I bet there’s another baked beans / rice / powdered custard etc to last a couple months... Just in case

In relation to specialised baby formula if you order in a shop or pharmacist they may save it for you. Will have to pay in advance.

@Hercwasonaroll - I thought you were talking to me about panic buying until I realised there was another Peridot who had posted just above me!

I have a stockpile. But I did mine gradually for Brexit. Was running it down but then built it up again gradually since early Feb. Just doing normal shop now every week

Daisychain1 - I thought that too. I’m going to do an online cash donation to the Trussell Trust I think.

That’s a good point daisychain I think if you can’t get directly to the food bank to donate then sending them a cash donation so they can source what is needed is best

@Hercwasonaroll Do you really need to travel?

@FrenchtoEnglish I don't need to but we want to. We're symptom free and want to support the local businesses that are already suffering. Travelling isn't a problem. Panic buying is twatish and selfish.

It's the same as Brexit. Everyone denies voting 'leave' but then does it. Everyone is publically sneering at the stockpile mentality while secretly stocking up.

@Peridot1 sorry for the confusion!

Gradual stocking up is fine and normal. Panic buying 50 loo rolls is mad!

I have been buying extra each time I shop since before Brexit. Some stuff like washing power and yes toilet rolls I have in, simply because when there are hall price offers on I tend to buy two. So yes I have some stuff in, and will continue to but extra now. But I don’t go out and get a whole load of extra stuff, or panic buy. It does mean I can share with other family members if needed though

If people are really found buying formula for tea and coffee they ought to be fined or something. Makes me glad I was lucky enough to breastfeed

Of course its different, and of course its fine. Products are manufactured to sales demand. If the product generally sells more as people have a little stock of it at home, more will be produced.

When the supply chain struggles is where there's a mass buy up of existing product, as generally 3 weeks worth of stock according to normal demand is kept. That stock depletes very quickly when there's a spike in demand for it.

YANBU

I've stockpiled. Not to last years but a few weeks. My husband is nearly 50 and has severe asthma. My DD recently had her spleen removed and is still on steroids to supress her immune system. We can't afford not to. We live in an area with no home delivery so need to be able to feed ourselves if we have to lock down.

All the panic buying and stockpiling will achieve is rationing.

Must say I bought a little extra today... Went in for salad greens and came out with non perishables. Nothing excessive (singles of everything) but just enough if I can't leave the house for fresh fruit and veges, I can make other meals. Just need a bag of potatoes and I'm good.

Turns out yoghurt and cheese last a few months if unopened, so that's good.

Do your normal shop, then

try to buying things that are well stocked in whatever supermarket you are in.

Eg: crackers, noodles, couscous, popcorn kernels may be plentiful yet pasta is limited.

If you can only get rice, say, look for stuff that will make it nice. (Spices, soy sauce, etc)

Why can’t people just carry on as normal with their weekly shops and then items will always be available as usual.

My husband is self employed, as you can imagine work has dried up so even if food stocks are fine there is a very real possibility that we won't have the sodding money to buy it so we did buy extra while we do. No, we didn't clear shelves but I'm not apologising for doing what we could to ensure our family can eat and wash. This is all getting so self righteous.

There was lots of flavoured microwaveable rice still available in my local Tesco's (although that might be different now!) I have some in my cupboards anyway as it is a great staple to have and comes in handy when I don’t fancy cooking.

I've had a full cupboard for months- way before this, I was buying a little extra here and there.
Stockpiling is not panic buying.
I'm actually helping with the current situation as I do not need to buy pasta, rice etc etc.
There is a huge difference.

Yes it Is selfish. To the lady is Asda who had a shopping trolley full of tinned items leaving very little on the shelves, you are a truly selfish twat.

If my baby was formula fed then i would have bought a lot of extra formula. I wouldn't have bought, say 30 tins, because that seems ridiculous... But 7 or 8? God Yes. It's natural to want to protect your babies in times of crisis. It would be strange not to.

That's formula though. It's essential for ff babies to live. Toilet roll And hand wash? Bloody stupid to buy up all the stock. Toilet roll And hand wash is going to feed you and keep you warm at night.

I slowly built up a reserve over the past year due to Brexit, the uncertainty of my job & living in an area which is prone to being cut off in bad weather. I have used up a fair bit of my stocks but since January I've been building it back up. There is a real possibility that my contract won't be renewed at the end of this year. I don't think what I am doing is selfish, I don't buy up a whole shelf, I just replace what I've used.

Maybe if it gets really bad, people with most food and stuff in their cupboard will be made to share with everyone, you know, about like taxes and the richer you are, the more you have to give.

I bet people would see it in a very different light if that happened!

It's quite ironic that ultimately, we had an overweight nation that could do with cutting down daily calorie intake, that is, something much more likely to end up killing them than the coronavirus!

But of course, being more than you normally would do is nothing to do with buying panic! The way people try to justify their selfish actions is quite something!

Today I saw trolleys full of yoghurt...one person had at least 10 pots.

@cyclingmad Ocado delivered everything to me today. Except... branston pickle