AIBU to think people will be less tolerant of those who are unprepared next time?

[NoSoapAndGory]

In mid March, as the shop stock plummeted just before lockdown was announced, our local parent FaceBook groups etc were full of "I've tried all shops with no luck - where can I get Calpol / Paracetamol / Nappies / Tampax / pasta / toilet roll' etc.

For every post, there was at least one person offered to help or share - usually more.

Are people now expected to behave differently as supplies are stabilising? Do you think people will be so accommodating the next time we have an emergency, or will you be considered foolish not to have prepared in some way if you were able to?*

*Obviously not including people who can't afford to buy spares or basics.

I have a box room that i turned into a "preps" room in early 2016 and since then i have alwas made sure i have at least a month (probably more like 6 weeks) worth of food, cleaning products, cat food etc.
My chest freezer also lives in there and i buy lots of reduced items and things on offer and freeze them while i can.
I probably would share but would be a bit begrudging about it. Everyone knows the situation now and you need to be responsible for yourselves and your families if things go bad again. Jmo.

Yes and no.

I think there is a big difference between people who buy 100 loo rolls, someone who buys a new lot when they are down to their last 8 so no risk of running out and those who try and replace it when the last roll is coming to an end.

Personally I’m not tolerant of either the first or third person in this scenario

I’d say once you have the opportunity to prep again, do it. The second bigger wave will hit and we’ll be in the same situation. Learn the lesson.

Personally I’m not tolerant of either the first or third person in this scenario

Wow. You probably didn’t meant to come across as vile as you have here.

mineofuselessinformation Sat 02-May-20 20:28:11
I think very differently - the people who decided to stockpile right at the start were the ones who caused the shortages.
If everyone had carried on as normal with regard to their shopping, there would never have been the problems there were.

Absolutely this. We have limited storage space and limited funds, so we do a big monthly shop each pay day and then small top up shops throughout the month. Unfortunately for us, the shelves got stripped bare in the week running up to pay day so we were shopping twice a week across multiple shops and finally got caught up just before the next pay day.

My OH knew I had a bit of a Brexit pile going on but I DO think that he now appreciates it. No panicking just a careful look at what's in stock and plan accordingly.

That's lovely Tana. And for all those living in temporary accommodation or refuges or already over cramped housing where is their box room and the funds to fill it with?

I always tend to have a bit of a stash ( rural so it's a half round trip to get milk/ bread /whatever) I think I'll be more careful to keep medicine cabinet/ freezer / cupboards topped up.

Some people were sensible and bought a few extra items. Others were on these boards shrilling about how flu was FAR more dangerous and that the Italians only got it because they were foreign and hugged a lot and lived in flats. Oh yes, and that they could always get stuff delivered so why prepare.

That is what actually happened. It happened here and we all saw it. A lot of people have name changed since then.

@brassbrass i understand i am lucky to have a bit of space but i dont have loads of funds to fill it with. I have done it slowly and over time as i was warned that shortages were coming as a result of a No Deal Brexit. I had no idea a pandemic was on the horizon but that is all the more reason to be prepared.
It was literally an extra tin of beans or tuna or an extra bag of pasta or rice when i went shopping. Anything is better than nothing. I know some people literally cant but others could and just dont see the need, and thats fine but dont complain that there is nothing on the shelves in a month or twos time, be proactive now thats all i meant.

I probably would share but would be a bit begrudging about it. Everyone knows the situation now and you need to be responsible for yourselves and your families if things go bad again. Jmo.

A lot of people aren't in the position to do this. I am. Lucky me. My response to this has been to send a donation to the Food Bank and also set up a monthly donation (we give but usually mostly to homeless charities).

I had probably 2 months supply of toilet paper in before any of this happened. I always do. I hate not feeling there is a lot of TP in the house. I had tins and pasta etc also in. I usually do. I'm lucky enough to be able to buy things when I want them and indulge the feelings I have about wanting lots of toilet paper etc. I know loads of people who can't.

But there weren't any real shortages here. I was glad I had stuff in beause I wanted to stay home and avoid shops etc but there were no bare shelves.

Intolerant twats will always be intolerant twats. This latest crisis will change nothing. One little bit.

I by my loo roll in bulk and I can see why anyone who had the money wouldn’t.
I buy loo roll in wilkos
A 4 pack of cheeky is £1.70 so 42.5p a roll
A 18 pack is £3.50 so 20p a roll
A 32 pack is £7 so 22p a roll.
The same loo roll just sold in different quantities and you pay twice as much per roll for the small sized pack.

I think a lot of people will continue to buy the odd item when they go shopping so they don't get caught out again. To me it's sensible to try and have some things extra so when this happens again or even just a bad weather event that they are more prepared then they are now.

I always had a pantry of at least 6 weeks worth of food in the house just as my mum did and does still, because of this growing up when times were hard we had food we could use as when needed.

No I'm not going to suddenly become a stockpilier for fear of judgement from people I don't care about.

Within a couple of days of the stories from Drs in Italy coming out on Twitter I had done an extra large shop of tins etc - I was fortunate to be able to do that. Many won’t be and in years gone by I wouldn’t have been able to.

People like to judge - it makes them feel better about themselves.,

I was one of the mugs that went around helping people, delivering supplies etc.

I took a lady some supplies as she was thanking me most profusely she also mentioned that her son normally did her shopping but she'd rather that he stayed home and be safe and have a stranger (me) risk catching Covid_19 bringing her supplies instead.

She was the last woman I have helped this time around, I'm not so sure I'll be helping should the need arise again, which goes against every moral fibre in my body but maybe I should be thinking of my son and stay safe myself.

As for me I'm prepared, I'm always prepared, I was once homeless with nothing, now I like to have a spare or 2 of everything. But I also know I'm a fighter and can get by having nothing.

I couldn’t give a flying fck what anyone thinks of me or my shopping habits.
I won’t be stockpiling or “prepping” because panic buying is the reason we had a shortage in the first place.

We're two adults, an 8 yo and a cat here in a one bedroom flat, with all the associated crap and supplies of course. Where exactly am I supposed to put the "prep" stash?

I won't be introlerant to people, I've been in the position where I couldn't afford tampons or the bus fare to buy calpol.

Once things are calmer I will build my prep stash back up. This is probably the first time in my life the after effect of my father's abuse (starving us was one of his tactics) actually helped. There is always enough food in my house for around 4-6 weeks despite having a big household.

It meant that the first two weeks of the crazy buying we didn't need to go near the supermarket.

We didn't 'prepare'. We carried on and bought stuff at the usual rate. We luckily avoided needing to buy loo roll until supply had caught up. It was odd to see people saying (on here and RL) 'I'm not stock piling I'm just adding an extra pack or 2 of xyz just in case' and "I don't normally eat pasta but have added a couple of packs in just in case ' and not really getting that that itself was part of the issue. Also folks who consider them selves prepared but that consists of an extra freezer or cupboards full. The reality being that of society breaks down to the extent that we can't get basic provisions for a long period even preppers won't be prepped enough. I'm not counting the hardcore minority that claim to have 25 years worth of tinned soup in their garden bunker!

We prematurely bought an extra pack of Costco toilet roll in February, along with other long life supplies. One month later when the supermarket shelves were being stripped bare, I was not exacerbating that, because I had no need to take any of the dwindling beans or pasta or toilet roll. I just topped up on fresh foods.

We are buying more weekly because the school canteen and sandwich shop aren't the source of our lunches. No sneaky McLunches at the weekend when I CBA.
I've kept stocks high because we could still have up to 21 days of isolation as a household, and I want a supply of easy foods that the children can manage on for a week or so if we become ill.

Not everyone has the budgeting or storage to bulk buy, but if those who can do at sensible times, it leaves more on the shelves for those who have to shop little and often.

I've still got bogroll, and plenty free

I always have a bit extra during the winter as the nearest supermarket is a drive away and we can't get the car out if it snows.
I'm still keeping a bit extra in, in case any of my family catch it or are exposed to it and we have to stay in for 2 weeks

We are not preppers but DH has always been a bit of a stockpiler. He does most of the shopping. We get some very rough winters here. In addition to loo roll, flour, canned foods, etc. we also keep 30 gallons of drinking water (we have a cooler in the kitchen that takes 5 gallon bottles) and we have about 200 freeze dried camping meals in sealed containers in the basement. I've tried a few and they're surprisingly good.

I’m a little envious of people who don’t prep or plan ahead because they’re able to take for granted a level of health and energy that I can’t. I just don’t have faith that I can depend on myself to be able to replace things in time if I run them down to the wire. So I try and keep two weeks of shopping in. It’s a practice that has stood me in good stead when I’ve had the flu, or during stormy weather.

I was taken aback at how many people weren’t prepared at all given how dramatic the coverage of Italy was. But it wasn’t just consumers who didn’t see this coming as the supply chains weren’t ready for a fairly predictable increase in spending, and govts were slow to respond. In some retail sectors in the UK and RoI there had been stockpiling for Brexit which has cushioned the impact considerably.

I think that a lot of people will adapt their habits and keep at least one spare of essentials, if they can. I think some people will build storage bunkers. But I don’t think it would benefit the economy if everyone did that. We need the just in time shoppers as well. Judging other people’s shopping choices isn’t helpful.

In normal times I would help out family and friends but lockdown has cut us off and I’ve been extremely grateful for the kindness of my parents neighbours. I can’t repay them, but I can pass the kindness on in my own neighbourhood when I can.