AIBU to think my friend is overdoing emergency stockpiling?

[bagpuss90]

I get that we have been advised to stock up on essentials, though I think it will encourage panic buying. I will probably get a few days worth of stuff at some point . My friend however has, at least in my opinion gone ott about it. She’s stocking up a six month supply of food. She’s bought head torches, a camping gas stove and various other stuff. She thinks I’m being naive …Am I missing something here ?

I was fine for toilet paper and I sure as heck didn’t panic buy. It came close to the wire a couple of times! But just got up early and joined a queue somewhere and got more 🤷‍♀️
no biggie

The OP’s friend is a single woman. Stockpiling for 1 person I imagine isn’t that big a deal.

Just before, I’m using my car charger to zap it.

Well I’d say it’s quite predictable we’ll lose water or power for a few days sometime over this winter but I’m not convinced we need six months of food. I have water, tinned and dried food and a couple of charged power banks. I cook on gas so chances are high I’ll still have that anyway.

Clearly I live under a rock but what exactly is it we are supposed to be stockpiling for?

Is this UK? I seem to have missed this completely if that’s the case 😳

Try reading this thread?

O...kay.....😯

There are various links to news stories and govt guidance on this thread and several other similar ones

😆

Apart from the fact I have not got any money to buy anything other than for the next few days, its people like your friend who are causing huge problems.
Sick of going to my local Tesco and finding empty shelves
Sick of this government helping people and causing untold damage.
I am out of work because of the governments “helpful” legislation and I can’t actually buy food when I get to the supermarket because of people like your friend.

I wouldn’t want to be friends with someone this gullible.

Governments create a crisis then rides to the rescue

Are there any elections due?

I was the part of the working masses who didn’t stay home.
Went to the supermarket as normal and just joined the queue to get in.

Didn’t actually run out of anything
Didnt panic buy either

What id like to know is WHAT are people stockpiling.

Not in sneezy way but in a what the heck am I supposed to do way.

We had a brexit stockpile and tbh I didn’t find it particularly great. Over time, It all got used that wasn’t the issue.
But it’s the ‘I have stock for 6 months’ that makes me wonder. It can’t be 6 months worth of food all in cans and dry food (rice, pasta etc….).

I wish someone would explain,

Im not sure why people in the UK find the idea of a little bit of prepping hilarious. appreciate not everyone has the space or money; but having a weeks worth of food and some water in the house is useful. A few years ago our water supply went out for 24 hours: we were all taking buckets to our neighbors hot tub to use for flushing toilets

Prepping over a long period of time does not impact the shelves; panic buying does z

Did we learn nothing from Covid? People actually still listen to government lunacy 'advice'?

I can't shake my head hard enough ffs

It is very, very rare for anyone to have 6 months - or even 3 months - stocked up. Imo getting into those lengths of time would mean we were in a serious war and, frankly, I couldn't and wouldn't prepare for that. We would be in a national emergency situation. Most people couldn't prepare for that. I have what equates to approx 6-8 weeks worth of food, water, etc; I'm prepared to that extent because I have a severely disabled DH and frail relatives who I need to know I can help if need be (as well as a neighbour who is blind and his wife, and have no family.) I'm prepared for severe weather/cyber/power issues. Anything longer is a different scenario.

Well, we don’t have 6 months worth… but…
tins of beans, chickpeas, veg, potatoes, fruit.
packets of microwave rice (they can be eaten cold)
tins of salmon; tuna, tomatoes.
oats, crackers, jars of hummus, baba ganoush

Exactly.

I don't really need government guidance to know that the way things are going there is absolutely nothing wrong with a bit of common sense preparation especially if, like me, I have someone with severe health conditions to consider.

Plenty of explanations in this and all other threads already.

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/chat/5570978-hm-gov-telling-us-to-get-tinned-food-and-bottled-water?page=22&reply=154561241

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/preppers/5571022-uk-to-warn-citizens-to-stock-up-on-food?page=3&reply=154589651

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/ami^being^unreasonable/5573921-aibu-to-think-the-stockpile-advice-suggests-something-to-come?page=15&reply=154664834

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/ami^being^unreasonable/5576178-do-we-actually-need-to-get-two-weeks-of-food-in?page=15&reply=154668927

Nobody (or very few people) is suggesting selling everything and constructing a bunker in the Outer Hebrides . If you don’t want to get a few tins and a couple of bottles of water in to cover 3 days of a possible power cut / supply chain disruption, you don’t have to.

I have spent probably £100 on a bit more food and a wind up radio. Hopefully you are right and I won’t need it but I see it like house insurance. I’ve never claimed and I’ve probably spent a couple of thousand on insurance over the decades - I’m still planning on renewing when the day comes.

I plan to go to the Winchester, have a nice, cold pint, and let it all blow over 😃 🧟 🧟 🧟

This is so tempting.

Hope the Winchester is within walking distance.

Can you quote me on where I said that's what they're suggesting? You dont have to get defensive, I'm not attacking you.

I'm moreso referring to people panic buying and calling it stockpiling since some people can't seem to differentiate between the two. The governments advice to do this is just going to create unnecessary moral panic, as it has before, and they know that.

It's just like at Christmas when shops close for a day and there's people buying 30 loaves of bread to 'survive' it. By all means, buy a bit extra food and supplies, but don't go raiding supermarket shelves cos the gubbermint told you to do so.