Looking at the 'stockpiling' threads..

[EinsteinaGogo]

Is there genuinely ANYONE who could afford to get a couple of weeks shopping into the house, who hasn't?

And if so, WHY?

@Wheneverwhereve

I could afford to but haven’t because I’m not an arsehole who hoards resources at the expense of those who don’t have the luxury of driving to big supermarkets and spending £££ on a few weeks’ worth of shopping.

First response sums it up really. Only arseholes would do this as they’re not thinking about those who live on the breadline. Incredibly selfish of people to hoard. I could afford to do this but no we got our normal shop this week as I give a shit about others in general.

It only sums it up if you don't understand the difference between stockpiling and panic buying, but heroically didn't let that stop you from wading right in regardless.

@BoffinMum

Lyra you are so right. I actually got irritated at the repeats of the tired nurse sobbing in the car when she couldn't get any fresh food, saying "Just stop it, all of you" when in reality the problem was about the supplies for the catering industry not being diverted quickly enough into the supermarkets for us. It's so easy to blame unknown members of the public for things when in reality it's more to do with lack of preparedness by large organisations and governments.

This meant knee-jerk reactions by stores, especially Tesco. We are a family of six and rationing things to twos and threes in shops meant we had to send multiple family search parties out to get enough stuff to feed us all in one go, quite apart from trying to get things for elderly neighbours who were shielding as well. Literally two hours a day were spend organising or foraging for supplies around the village, instead of being able to do an online order for the right amount of food six people needed. And I had lots of supplies at home, but for that many people you'd have to be pretty extreme on the prepping front to have enough in to last a month or two.

We're a big family as well (and were even bigger in lockdown as SIL's kids moved in with us as she worked in ICU) and the rationing would have been a nightmare had we not been well stocked up.

We were also lucky that both the milkman and the & veg box people were happy to allow us our usual order, despite them also rationing people. We'd have had to go out every day for milk otherwise.

We've got a weekly order now with a local butcher, primarily because he has also said that as long as he has the supplies he'll give customers their usual orders.

I dont prep because come to apocalypse I have 3-6 months fat reserves on my body. I also don't have the space. If I lived ruraly I'd have different shopping habits.

We’ve got a modest buffer in the pantry. But I will continue to weekly shop because I’m not an arsehole and I don’t want people to have to do without. The stockpiling fucking pisses me off

Our shopping habits are pretty mixed tbh. I have a good stock of non perishables and always have done, plus a freezer in the garage with extra meat etc. This tends to get rotated in and out of.

We get milk and eggs from the milkman, plus a fruit and veg delivery each week. Tend to shop for groceries (loo roll, tins etc) every couple of weeks...it was these shops that we didn't bother with when it kicked off last time as we had some supplies.

What happens if everyone tmw shops like they are in Group A?
They won't, and even if tomorrow everyone really did wake up and think they might consider having a small buffer of products they use regularly built up over time, the gradual nature of A shopping, plus the fact As don't buy lots at once would mean the supply chain could adjust.

The reality is if people start wanting a stockpile as a snap decicion and they want it not then they aren't being organised. They're shelf clearing and panic buying.

I’m not an arsehole who hoards resources at the expense of those who don’t have the luxury of driving to big supermarkets and spending £££ on a few weeks’ worth of shopping.

more realistically... if shops become victim of last minute panic buyers, I stay well away as I always have more than enough food and get out of the way. My normal shop and slot become available, so really, I am doing you a favour

Because we trust the supermarkets, and the box schemes we're on, and our freezer, to get us through this. We've not stocked up beyond what we would normally do this time of year (so, a slightly larger packet of pasta, one of the special soup offers at the supermarket we could get a delivery date for, another for the tuna).

I've always loathed shopping for essentials in the physical world with a passion anyway, so the way we shop has always been a little outside the norm (not preppers but always having basics in to make some kind of meal, even if it is something like cheese on toast). We also changed our habits to be a lot less reliant on the big supermarkets and a lot more local/seasonal about 18 months ago and during Lockdown: Episode 1 it was an absolute godsend.

People saying they would "just get a delivery" if they have to self-isolate might like to have a look at how easy it is at the moment to get those deliveries in their area. We had to wait 10 days for our last Tesco delivery, and I was astonished it was that short (I'm using Tesco as they're still the biggest).

I don’t believe in stockpiling
I enjoy going shopping - pre Covid shopped every day
I go once or twice a week now because I hate mask wearing
I only buy extra if there is a good offer or multi buy discount
We eat very little that isn’t fresh and cooked from scratch - I will freeze meat poultry and fish but prefer fresh vegetables

@Pumpkinsarepurple

I think it's an generational thing, those of us who are 40 plus are more likely to remember times when there was a need for a good stock cupboard, bad weather, not many huge supermarkets like there are today and strikes all fed into the uncertainty that fed into the need for a stock of provisions just in case.

I agree. Those of us who can remember the days before supermarket deliveries, takeaway delivery and were adults during the petrol strikes of the 2000s realise that everything you rely on can get pulled out from under you. My mum used to keep in powdered milk in case we got snowed in, as we often did.

I can afford too. But I don’t as it’s selfish and unnecessary. To be honest I can’t understand those who do. It breaks my heart to see elderly people starting at empty shelves or a mother who can’t afford to stock up on formula going from shop to shop. Come on Op don’t be so obtuse.

@User36258

I could afford to but haven’t because I’m not an arsehole who hoards resources at the expense of those who don’t have the luxury of driving to big supermarkets and spending £££ on a few weeks’ worth of shopping.

This.

It was pretty obvious by about May that this winter was going to be difficult with both Brexit and covid and that some level of prepping would be prudent. I cleared a wooden box I use as a coffee table at the end of July and started buying extra of the stuff I use that was difficult to get hold of during March - June. Box is full and items are now on rotation so at this point, I am just buying my normal weekly shop and nothing more. We have enough for a few weeks of not being able to buy anything at all, longer with deliveries of fruit and veg and meat if unable to get a supermarket delivery. Milkman brings me eggs and bread twice a week with the milk so all in all, I really don’t see how we can be considered part of the problem.

To*

@Yesthesearemymonkeys

Stockpiling is not necessarily selfish, in fact it can be the opposite. It’s such a shame that some people just don’t seem to be able to grasp the difference between prepping and panic buying.

So, one more try:

Group A:
People who routinely buy a few extra non perishable items each time and rotate these so they use up the oldest items first. Eventually, having done this over a very long period of time, they will have a few weeks buffer of non perishables. They keep this up, ensuring their buffer is maintained whilst never buying more than a small number of extra items at any one time

Group B:
People who may or may not keep anything extra in the house at any time but who, when suddenly faced with a period of uncertainty (eg, bad weather, Brexit delays, pandemics) rush out to the shops and buy several weeks worth or more of whatever they can get their hands on in one go.

Group C
People who cannot afford to buy anything extra in when they shop.

Group A are preppers. They have a stockpile. Stockpiling is not a bad thing if your stockpile has been built up gradually over a sustained period of time. These people are not part of the problem, in fact, their long term stockpiling is actually helpful to Group C people as Group A people are not in the shops trying to buy even a small amount when it’s in short supply. The fact that a group A person bought extra pasta or loo roll in October 2019 has absolutely no bearing on someone finding the pasta or loo roll aisle empty in March 2020.

Group B people are panic buyers. They are entirely different to preppers. Their stockpile is not even a stockpile as such. A stockpile is something that has built up over a period of time in anticipation of shortages. Panic buyers do not anticipate. Panic buyers wait until there are shortages or the event that threatens the supply chain (bad weather, Brexit, pandemic) has actually happened to buy their extras. They absolutely are the problem and massively disadvantage Group C people by stripping the shelves.

Then there are group D people. They don’t stockpile. They could afford to build up a bit of a buffer but they loftily declare there is no need. There never would be any need if only everyone just bought what they needed when they need it. They cannot differentiate between Preppers and Panic Buyers, despite constantly having it explained to them. They blame Group As for disadvantaging Group Cs even though they themselves are the ones competing for the same bag of pasta as Group C. Meanwhile the Group As are at home eating the pasta they bought six months ago.

absolutely this

Because during lockdown I had no issues getting food whenever I needed to.

@Inextremis

I could afford to, but I don't need to. The shops aren't going anywhere, are they?

Exactly. what is the point? The shops were still there with stuff. I dont see the need. I dont understand the need to stockpile. The shops have things. My local shops have everything!

Yy re failure to divert supplies earlier this year. All of a sudden, millions of people switching to doing 100% of their eating, drinking and toileting at home. Of course that was going to place a significantly greater burden on supermarkets. Prior to this, it wouldn't have been unusual at all for a household to have a minority of meals at home.

Who can be arsed with the sight of an empty cupboard and fridge and having to run to get something, anything!

I mean, if people enjoy daily shops and have the time for them, why not.

I like more freedom. Nothing to do with the pandemic.

@MillieEpple

Me too. Not only was going to the supermarket an afternoon out, we also had the risk of being cut off by a flooded road regularly.

I keep about 2 weeks in. Although we would be on tuna pasta, beans on toast and porridge by that point but at least we’d be eating.

@LolaSmiles well they won't because many don't feel there is any need &/or are restricted by space/money. However if even an extra 30% did so tmw it would have an big impact so I don't understand the smugness.

@CrazyToast

Because during lockdown I had no issues getting food whenever I needed to.

Me too! The only stuff i couldnt get was toilet paper and rice and pasta. Everything else was fine.

Oh and flour.

The reality is if people start wanting a stockpile as a snap decicion and they want it not then they aren't being organised. They're shelf clearing and panic buying.

So the preppers who said they used their Brexit supply in March & are now trying to restock what are they?

@Wakemeupwhenthisisover

I can afford too. But I don’t as it’s selfish and unnecessary. To be honest I can’t understand those who do. It breaks my heart to see elderly people starting at empty shelves or a mother who can’t afford to stock up on formula going from shop to shop. Come on Op don’t be so obtuse.

Sadly I think it's you who are being obtuse.

Planning to buy limited additional items over a gradual period of time specifically avoids the scenario you've depicted..