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?

I could, and I haven’t. Because why would I? Are you concerned about covid or brexit? Whatever, I am not going to starve. If there’s shortages I will make do with something else. No big deal. No drama. Jeez

There's a massive difference between panic buying and bulk buying which some people don't seem able to grasp

I buy in bulk. We have an American fridge freezer in the kitchen and a freezer and separate fridge in the garage. The garage is triple so we have shelves built in there so I appreciate we are lucky enough to have this additional storage.

For years and years I've always bulk bought. I'll have 100 cans of Diet Coke, ten robinsons squash bottles, a dozen Quaker Oats, plenty of chicken, beef etc in the freezer. Lots of crisps in a box, biscuits etc. I buy the dry goods in Costco usually. I shop twice weekly for fresh fruit, veg, milk and bread. I have my toilet rolls on a subscription service

So do I go and strip the shelves bare? No. Do I like to be organised and have a decent store of stuff, just as I have done so for two decades now? Yes

I only food shop every two or three weeks. We live rurally and I can't be bothered with the twenty mile round trip to the supermarket more often than I need to

We always have plenty in stock. That isn't a new thing.

I could afford to, but I'm hoping to exchange contracts/get a moving date in the next month or two. I'd rather not pack and move with hoards of pasta and loo roll.
I'd probably put one or two extra packets and tins by if it wasn't for moving house, but wouldn't have the space for much more than that (hence the move).

pointythings I'm astounded at how many people, whose kids' schools were closed and who had a spell being told not to go out unnecessarily, can't imagine a scenario where lorries are held up at a dock, and shelves are empty. You'd think people would be more credulous now.

I just don't think it's necessary. Even in March it was never that bad. I was worried at first but the supermarkets quickly adapted to rationing and I'm sure they would again. Also most food I like is fresh and can't be bought loads in advance.

@Okokokitsout

You sound insufferably smug op.im not sure what the purpose of your post is? Jsut to tell people they're wrong?

People have different circumstances to you. Why couldn't the people who used the service you provided access essentials? My friends and family plus my street have been looking out for each other and can/would help if needed.

I fully appreciate some people don't have support networks. But many people do. I'd hazzard a guess that those who have less support or are single parents or live more rurally will put a buffer in place. But many of us don't really need to as we have support.

I'm also not sure how much people keep in the house but we have loads of pulses, rice etc. So although my diet would be dull if I couldn't leave the house or get any food in for a fortnight we certainly wouldn't starve!

In my world, only the insufferably smug use the phrase ^insufferably smug.

^

if you think being prepared is a NEW thing

So when should people have started? Surely it's too late now for an extra here & there?

I make sure I’ve always got a couple of weeks of supplies in, just in case I have to quarantine and the supermarket delivery lets me down.

I don’t properly stockpile, but I don’t have anyone who could get the essentials for me, so keeping a couple of weeks’ basics in seems sensible if you can afford it / have somewhere to store.

Do people really think that consistently having about 2 weeks food in over a 30 year period

Do some people realise some of us are in our 30s or younger so couldn't possibly have started preparing that long ago?

[quote GreenFingersWouldBeHandy]@EinsteinaGogo I:m not sure if you realise it, but you are coming across as really smug and self satisfied.

It's great that you have the finances and space to 'prepare' (or what other people would call stockpiling, even though you don't). But please appreciate that not everyone has either of those options.

Sometimes it's not about 'planning'. Sometimes it's about counting the pennies from one week to the next and actually having nowhere to stock extra food even if you can afford it.[/quote]

Perhaps you struggled to read my OP.

If you CAN AFFORD to buy in extra (and have the wherewithal etc etc).... why have you chosen not to.

The COMPLETE OPPOSITE of "if every penny counts and you are struggling to make Friday every week".

,

I have neither stockpiled nor panic bought (and I could afford to). It hasn't crossed my mind.

I go food shopping every day. I walk to the shops, buy what I need, and walk home again. I did exactly the same during lockdown.

We've always had at least a month, if not two, of non-perishables and frozen food in. Partly a hangover from my childhood and a fear of being hungry, but also from living rural and supplies being disrupted in the winter if it snows.

It meant in lockdown we didn't have to shop for the first 4 weeks (one of my DD's was on the shielding list so it was good to not have to deal with the supermarket).

I think one thing that is missed about the last lockdown is that a lot of people had to buy more food than usual. Everyone was home for breakfast, lunch and dinner. In my house alone I had 4 kids who normally had school dinners. Between people grabbing lunch at work, eating out once a week and the likes folks needed more food in their shopping than they usually do. That is totally ignored when people talk about the low stock in the supermarkets at the time.

During lockdown the situation was different though because the supply chain was completely disrupted AND people were not stockpiling they were panic buying.

Stockpiling is something that is build up over months and doesn’t affect the supply chain more than taking the 4 for the price of 3 offer, even if you only need two tins.

it's the cumulative effect of stockpiling that is precisely the problem! It's not a problem if you do it usually, it's a problem because we all do it suddenly!

This is my understanding

Reading this has made me think that I should probably get some extra canned goods in. Gonna order Christmas presents for grandchildren earlier too.
Also spices etc - stuff that let's you make meals more interesting when you get to the interesting food combination stage. During the first lockdown we changed what we ate simply because we couldn't get some items and we haven't changed back. The real problem for us would be if supplies of fresh veg became a problem and I can't think of a way round that.

@muppet1969

I could afford it, but it’s completely unnecessary and messes it up for everyone else. If we all buy as normal everything will be fine.

This

@ghostee

Maybe I've watched to many apocalyptic films but if we got to the stage that the shops had run out of food for days, no restaurants, deliveries etc are people really going to be browsing their tinned goods thinking how well prepared they are or are they going to be guarding it with their life?

I'm very good with a rifle & a bow & arrow so I think I'll be ok! 😂😂

I have a door to a large cupboard that looks like a wall if it comes to it (was already there when I moved in, I'm not totally batshit) it's currently full of water atm.

@EinsteinaGogo, we have done a bit of stockpiling but not more than checking what we have in the freezer.
My main issue is that we mostly buy fresh products. It’s hard to stockpile salads and cucumber!
For the rest, we always have a spare (long story of communication issues between me and DH meaning we often run out of cupboard staples)

I can afford it but why would l ? The shops won’t close in a lockdown and it’s selfish to hoard if you are able to get to the shops.
I understand anyone with vulnerabilities feeling that it will help to stock up however.

I could afford to but haven’t because I’m not an arsehole who hoards resources

Haha. Two weeks worth of shopping is hardly hoarding, or making anyone an 'arsehole'. I know people who routinely only shop once a month, does that make them arseholes too?

Because our budget is for one huge shop every month for frozen and cupboard food, then a strict budget a week for fresh. March's panic buying really screwed things up there and I wouldn't want to do that to anyone else

I’m with you op.
COVID and Brexit aside I always have at least 2 weeks worth of food in the house. Always have done. I grew up rurally and we would often be cut off by floods or snow. Keeping a well stocked larder just makes sense to me.
Nothing to do with stock piling just how I run my house.

During lockdown the demand for food in some areas exceeded the normal supply - because people normally work in other places/ children eat at school/ the restaurants are busy. The supermarkets were very slow to adapt and while some companies would deliver they wanted massive orders or high delivery charges.

The local foodbank had to beg for supplies, it doesnt normally.

So when food become easily available in my area again I filled the cupboards and I keep them as full as I can.