Panic buying toilet paper is ridiculous

[Downunderduchess]

In a supermarket in suburban Sydney today. Zero toilet paper left on the shelf. Zero anti-bacterial hand sanitiser left. Saw two women leaving the store with a trolley overloaded with boxes of tissues nothing else. I honestly feel this is selfish. I’ve attached a photo of the non-existent toilet paper stock.

You wonder why the shops don't put a cap on how many rolls you can buy.

Like they do with special offers.

Because for some people they can manage eating a few weird combinations of food, but there is no sensible/practical alternative to running out of loo roll. And when you have kids who seem to view crapping as a leisure pursuit, stocking up is one less thing to worry about!

Who cares how many loo rolls others buy?!

I think it's sensible to always have an extra pack in, just in case you get a bug or something and can't leave the house. It's probably one of the more sensible things to stock up on as you'll definitely use it, but yes clearing the shelves and leaving none for anyone else isn't great.

Clearly people who can't then buy any normal supplies themselves Meme

I quite agree. It’s unreasonable for people not to keep a good stock of toilet rolls at home at all times, making such panic buying unnecessary.

They make excellent wall and roof insulation.

Makes you think about the environmental impact of bog roll use, though.

The Romans had a sponge-on-a-stick device.

Time to go to Groupon! I’ve just ordered some from there and kitchen roll. Not regular tissues though.

We go through stacks of loo roll as it is, I've got a good supply in case we need to isolate. Not trolley loads but a months worth

In fairness, most people are probably making sure they have 2 weeks supply incase of self isolation

I went to the shops yesterday and the TP aisle was completely desolate. The staff were laughing their asses off at all the panic buyers.

but there is no sensible/practical alternative to running out of loo roll.

I take it you don't have access to water in your house? Never heard of a bidet and can't imagine using your shower/bath as a bidet?

People are panicking which is going to cause added problems on top of whatever problems coronavirus will cause itself. It was similar in Athens, my mum said there was no toilet paper and people were buying five trolleys of food each trying to stock up on non-perishables.

There is no reason to prep for coronavirus. Either you will need to quarantine for a couple of weeks while everyone else is fine and can drop off food and toilet paper for you, or everyone will have it and only people at high risk will be self-isolating so the rest of us can bring them food and toilet paper.

... there is no sensible/practical alternative to running out of loo roll...

Running water, soap, and a towel?

@siblingrevelryagain no sensible/practical alternative? Never heard of family cloth? I use small reusable cloths for wee, they go in a little bin in the bathroom and get washed every couple of days with other cloths. You don’t need loo roll.

Yuk at some of the solutions to loo roll. Cloth that gets washed? Think I’m just about to join those toilet roll panic buyers.

I use it for tissues as well (cheaper too)

Useful if you want 'bin it' straight away

Also, it doesn't ever go off, so it really doesn't matter if you over-purchase

, but there is no sensible/practical alternative to running out of loo roll.

Really?

I have lived in a country where toilet paper isn't used. Millions manage fine without it.

The staff were laughing their asses off at all the panic buyers.

It seems the Brexit panic buyers/stockpilers have now moved on to coronavirus as their raison d’etre. I wonder what the next thing to panic about will be?

You wash with hot water first then dry with the cloth. It’s infinitely more hygienic.

I used cloth nappies for three babies, so I’m used to plopping poo off a liner into a toilet, but I think reusable loo roll is a step too far for me. What do you do for poo?

What do you do for poo?

Wash with your hands.

It’s probably lots of people buying a bit more than usual rather than one person clearing the shelves. Nobody wants to run out of toilet roll do they?

This really makes me wonder how much loo roll people actually use. We go through a roll and a half a week- family of three, both adults at work full time and DD at school so using loo roll elsewhere 9-5. so maybe 2-3 rolls a week if we are all at home? that's still only 12 a month max if we are all home.

Also re the washing; post-birth/stitches I tried the trick of pouring water on my bits whilst peeing as advised; maybe anatomically I’m made all wrong, but o found the whole thing very difficult (and used to per in the shower instead 😂); how does one do it without contorting?

Not that I’m considering either option; I have a literal shit-load of loo roll; didn’t adjust my regular amazon delivery post Brexit prepping!

When people see empty shelves they automatically think "panic buying" which conjours up images of crazy shoppers filling their entire trolley with loo rolls. But the reality is that even if everyone just casually buys one extra pack than usual "just in case", that's twice the usual demand, so the shelves will soon become empty unless the shop has anticipated the extra demand. In fact shops usually calculate the demand so accurately that even a small increase in demand will empty the shelves sooner than usual.

Empty shelves ≠ panic buying.