Selfish panic buying?

[CwtchesCuddles]

A friend in London has just been shopping and sent me this picture of bare shelves, people have been panic buying!
AIBU to think it's selfish? I can understand buying an extra few things as part of your normal shop but clearing the shelves? Is everyone just looking after number 1 these days? What is going to happen when all those with spare cash buy up all the supplies?

Also anti bacterial gel doesn’t work against viruses

The alcohol in it does if the % is high enough @myidentitymycrisis

Also anti bacterial gel doesn’t work against viruses

Wrong, wrong, wrong. If you're buying a gel with above 60% alcohol then it will work.

XingMing what has making bread got to do with my comment? I was talking about people blaming those that could afford food as in some way impacting on those on lower incomes. The implication was that they were incapable of building up an albeit, smaller larder. Weather people prep or panic buy, it is unlikely to actually affect those on less money. Those with money don’t tend to buy Tesco beans, but instead buy the more expensive stuff.

Note to self: panic buy fags.

When I was in Lidls, they were out of eggs. Totally randomly and not at all related to any virus shenanigans, I'm sure. A lady I was passing commented that everyone was stocking up for the eggpocalypse, and I agreed that they were probably worrying about armeggedon.

Can you even buy "rubbing alcohol" in the UK? Or is it called something else?

Surgical spirit

StCharlotte it’s called surgical spirits in the UK.

I bought a few bottles of hand gel in Primark on Monday. They had hundreds not even a week ago. Everyone knew Covid-19 was in England on Monday so why not prepare?

I have four kids so we normally eat about three packs of pasta a week. I would feel like people would think I’m panic bulk buying if I get my normal four packs of pasta now. Luckily I did prep - weeks ago so I don’t need to get much at all. I bought a few extra bits every week since the end of January.

I always have a couple of weeks worth of food in, I am definitely not a prepper just working full time and can't go to the supermarket every few days. I did a big shop on Friday and Tesco was fine. Our Sainsbury's local always looks like that on a Sunday afternoon

Can you even buy "rubbing alcohol" in the UK? Or is it called something else?

Isopropyl alcohol. You can get it on amazon. Get the 91% stuff so you can dilute it down with aloe vera gel and still keep it above 70%

We should buy what we want surely as we live in a free market capitalist society.

Not that im overly happy about thst btw but people vote for it, buy into it, reject socialiam then moan when somwone buys 6 pints of milk.

Just done my weekly online shop and feared the booking slots would be booked like they are in school holidays.. but no, all seems normal bar a lack of available antibac hand gel.
Will wait and see what doesnt turn up!

Total bullshit, went to Aldi at 3.40pm, shelves stocked and no issues..... apart from the salmon that was on special was empty 🤷‍♀️

Was in our local supermarket an hour before closing, absolutely zero panic buying. Stock levels the same as any other Sunday at the same time. Bought my pasta, bread and cereal from the nice full shelves.

Why do people assume preppers are affluent? My food budget is £50 a week for 3 people but I still have full stocks in the house. I just buy something extra every shop. A tin of tomatoes is 28p. A pack of pasta is 29p. Long life milk 54p. Hardly breaking the bank.

My local Aldi was its usual self today - couple of random absentees (Cucumber & Avocado) neither of which is likely to be Covid-19 related.

I did buy more than I normally would have - purely because we're moving at the end of the month so have run my cupboards right down and we've all got a lingering cough from the germ pit that is a reception classroom - so might be asked to self isolate based on that cough - and there's usually a wait for online shopping...

A little bit more means less Marie Kondo and buying more rice/pasta before I've finished the last one, and restocking the freezer which I'd nearly finished emptying!

Annoying!

Yawn

Went to the supermarket at teatime.

Shelves are empty of veg, and I mean completely empty. That isn't normal on a Sunday evening. Very little pasta sauce, builders tea and no Lucozade. Also noticed there was no Lucozade in Sainsburys yesterday. But they do have a huge stand of hand gel.

Are you sure they weren’t empty because it’s Sunday? 🤷🏻‍♀️

Are you practising your smug yawn Bellini

I think it must depend on where you live. If there is a Coronavirus case near you, then it’s understandable that people would start worrying and stocking up. It also stands to reason that when one person takes about buying in extra, then others might start and it spreads throughout the area.

I lived through the troubles, so I know how ugly things can get and what people can do in a bad situation, so it makes me more cautious. And would any of us EVER have thought that a country with a similar lifestyle and system to ours (Italy) would impose a quarantine on their own towns? Do you think that could never happen here? Seriously?

The doomsday drone is amusing and I happen to think I was quite amusing- again, a matter of perspective.

I was compelled to go and have a look. You weren't funny. Embarrassed for you.