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?

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.

I'm younger & aware the rug could be pulled out from underneath me. However if the shit does hit the fan, I don't believe a couple of extra tins will be high on my list of priorities.

I haven’t because I like to eat fresh produce.

@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'm under 40 and have a stock regularly topped up but I learnt it from my mother. I think it was a buffer for hard times. Buy a bit extra bit by bit and you end up with a buffer incase you need it. Nothing goes to waste as you do use the stock and just replenish it bit by bit too.

To be fair my mother also did/does a big monthly shop when paid and then tops up small shops of milk/bread the rest of the month. I do this too and always have. Easier to do one big shop than lots of little ones. People probably see my trolley at times like this and think I'm being a dick but its my normal shop that the shops are therefore used to.

That said during lockdown last time I was more mindful of not getting too many extras and if there weren't many of something on the shelf I wouldn't take what I'd intended. I adjusted my shopping habits but probably more to less than I would usually buy in one go actually

@EinsteinaGogo Planning to buy limited additional items over a gradual period of time

What's an acceptable time frame?

ghostee - you shop fortnightly anyway.? Thats quite a leap of preparedness from daily shopping.

I'm slightly mind boggled by all the people who still don't understand that stockpiling isn't the same as panic buying, in fact it's the opposite. I've lived in this house for 10 years and that whole time I've kept a spare 24 roll pack of toilet roll in a cupboard. When everyone was unable to wipe their arse in March I just opened my spare pack and replaced it when the whole thing had calmed down, around May time. I buy toilet roll when I need it currently, but if I couldn't get to a shop, or there was a nationwide shortage, I wouldn't be elbowing old ladies out of the way for toilet rolls. Because I have a small stockpile that hasn't caused anyone any distress.

As the full impact of our departure from the EU kicks in after Christmas it'll be a miracle if there aren't delays in the supply chain. So many either don't believe it, or imagine that they'll be the only one experiencing difficulties and friends/family can bail them out

I know right?! Whole different ball game when everyone is in the same boat because there's been a blip right at the source entry of our food supply and there's little to put on the shelves in the first place.

Hopefully those backup stores are still in place for the probable blip of a no deal brexit and we can get through it with not much upheaval.

I won't be relaxing until Feb next year.

Until I had kids I usually bought food a few days at a time. After kids I liked to have a weeks food in the cupboards. I upped that considerably before the first potential brexit date. Since then if we eat something in my stash I replace it when I do the next online shop. At the peak last time we didn’t get a food shop for 3 weeks and we were fine. I built our stores back up and plan to keep them built up unless something becomes unavailable.

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

How many additional items over how much time?
When does ‘stockpiling’ become ‘panic buying’?
How many people have to do the former before it leads to the latter?
Who decides which it is?

We can.

1: it’s very very selfish
2: it’s completely unnecessary
3: depriving old people/vulnerable people who can’t use online facilities
4: it’s a bit crazy - we’re not at war

@CrappleUmble I do understand the difference but this thread is not talking about “prepping”/stock piling in the normal sense is it? It’s clearly aimed at Covid times. And honestly if I had a buffer then I would be using that at the moment rather than buying from the shops as people are already struggling, yet again, to buy the basics. For example toilet rolls, I bought enough this weekend for a week, I could have gently stock piled to last two weeks but the shelves had barely any on them so why would I stock pile when someone could come in after me who desperately needed them? Also buying two lots is not my normal shopping. Panic buying doesn't need to be buying hundreds of items if everyone gently increased their shopping the same pressures would happen.

In terms of why I don’t have a stock pile, I don’t live rurally and can easily reach a shop every week therefore I don’t feel the need to stock pile either.

I can afford to but choose not to stockpile because it deprives oaps and people living on the bread line. Plus the fact I'm not an arsehole.

@MillieEpple I perhaps every 2-3 days pick up fresh produce/top ups but I have dc so a larger online shop is more practical. Is that being particularly prepared though?

I've lived in this house for 10 years and that whole time I've kept a spare 24 roll pack of toilet roll in a cupboard. When everyone was unable to wipe their arse in March I just opened my spare pack and replaced it when the whole thing had calmed down, around May time

If someone had bought an extra pack on top of their spare, are they panic buying? Or being extra careful with their stockpile?

I could but I cant be arsed. The shops will still be open.

Nothing much has changed for us in terms of the amount we buy at a time. We live rurally so always buy in bulk (ish). I haven't bought any more throughout lockdown than I usually do because I'm not an arsehole.

What? Why would I? Did people not learn during the first wave there is absolutely no need to stockpile. I'm horrified people are actually doing this again. I don't understand!

@RHOBHfan I would like to know too as this is what I don't understand. Particularly as @Wheneverwhereve as said this is clearly against the backdrop of Covid.

If my experience of lockdown 1 is the same when lockdown 2 happens there will be no need to stockpile. I had no issues at all getting a delivery and neither did any of my friends or family (all over the country, not just in one area). If I ran out of anything I went to my local small Tesco for basics and I only remember queuing once or twice and even then it was for 5-10 minutes max

@MillieEpple

Its been a revelation to me that so many people go shopping daily. I realised lots of people couldnt afford a lot in one go or no l space to store it. But MN opened eyes that a majortiy of people who have the means and space still just buy one or two days food at a time. I grew up somewhere remote with a weekly bus to the nearest town and we could get snowed in so we always had a good store.

I've got rid of my car and live 2 miles from my nearest town so I'm limited by what I can comfortably carry on my bike (there is a Co-Op within walking distance but I prefer to support the independent butchers/fishmongers/greengrocers/bakers). So little and often is the key.

OP, I'm guessing that your question is aimed at the possibility of track and trace asking us to self-isolate which would prevent visits to the shops at a time when delivery slots are difficult to come by. It's a perfectly plausible scenario (unlike the 400 toilet rolls, that's implausible), I don't know why you're getting such a hard time on here.

In answer to your question, the only things in my cupboards which I have in more quantities than usual are pasta and cooking chocolate, in both cases bought a couple of months ago when they were "reduced to clear" so I got them for the cheap deal rather than any kind of stockpiling. I'm down to less than five rolls of toilet roll (all bought last year, bulk packs being cheaper, I don't get through much as I'm single and work lots of overtime so take many of my movements there).

Why am I so blasé about the possibility of having to self-isolate with no access to shops? As I use independent businesses rather than supermarkets its much easier to get a delivery slot so I know that I'd be alright for most things. I've also got around forty leeks ready to dig up and am picking several sprouts per day as they grow big enough so even if my meals might be samey, I won't starve.

I can afford to, but haven’t. I didn’t stockpile for the last lockdown and was still able to eat like a queen 🤷🏼‍♀️ There was no real impact for me.

The toilet roll aisles are already barren at my local Sainsbury’s

What happens if everyone tmw shops like they are in Group A?

If everyone is doing it together in a very short timeframe, they aren't in group A, are they? They are panic buying.

If someone had bought an extra pack on top of their spare, are they panic buying? Or being extra careful with their stockpile?

If buying extra is contributing to clearing the shelves and depriving other people its panic buying. There were toilet roll shortages for a couple of weeks in March, by mid April there were plenty of toilet rolls for everyone. HTH.

We like rurally, get snowed in and I hate supermarket shopping so have always got a good supply of food in the cupboards/ larder.
I haven’t bought more than I usually would during lockdown.

I was unaware there were current shortages. If that is the case obviously shouldn’t prep right now.