AIBU to genuinely not understand why people are stockpiling/ panic buying

[mumof2exhausted]

I am genuinely curious as to why people are doing this. Are people worried that shops are going to run out because of supply issues or is it because people think they may have to self isolate for couple of weeks. I just don’t get the reasoning behind it. Food wise we tend to cook fresh from scratch - a friend who is a consultant at hospital has done some batch cooking and froze for when she does get covid 19 which will happen and she’s feeling unwell and has to self isolate but buying hundreds of toilet rolls. Am genuinely confused.

Not exactly hard to understand is it?
You seem to have answered your own question.
Take my family for example....
Six of us plus three dogs and four cats.
If we had to stay at home for between two to four weeks and couldn't get any delivery from supermarket and local shops were struggling to get there delivery of stocks in time because of covid-19....
What would we do?
So I have a small stockpile that would see us through.
Also don't drive and the local shop is over a mole away if I truly was unwell and did catch the virus combined with my deviated septum I would find breathing uncomfortable and couldn't walk to go search for toilet rolls and milk etc

I don't want to go out if there's a lock down. I have no interest in queuing for hours to buy what's left in the supermarket. We've stocked up, not stock piled (except for biscuits, we've bought an unreasonable amount of dark chocolate digestives). I will continue to pick up a few extra things when I go out while it's still easy.

Loo roll? Isn't it obvious. Stuck at home with no way to wipe your arse and no delivery options in time.
But I got ours but by bit months ago. Interesting to watch how today unfolds.

Tips: if you must buy a toilet roll wall, take the rolls out of the packaging, squash and put in a hold-all. Less depressing to look at. Squashed bog roll/couple of lost sheets vs no bog roll? Not a difficult decision.

People are panic buying because people started panic buying so people didn't want to be the ones left without

My friend who eats pasta 90% of the time has been unable to get any. Her family up north are posting her some 😂

Nearly 10 years ago I had to self isolate for 2 weeks after an operation that happened in winter to avoid getting the common cold, flu or worse. All I did was make sure my cupboards were full and I still do. I found I didn't go through as much food as I had in though I ran out of chocolate.

So when I saw what people were initially panic buying I was puzzled. If you aren't able to go to the shops you want nice food stuff plus laundry products.

Tips: if you must buy a toilet roll wall, take the rolls out of the packaging, squash and put in a hold-all. Less depressing to look at. Squashed bog roll/couple of lost sheets vs no bog roll? Not a difficult decision.

What??

There are 4 of us in my house, and we get through a loo roll+ a day. But 3 of us WOTH. So if we are in lockdown, the demand on toilet roll will increase. So I bought more.
Plus, we use it as tissues inside the house.

I dont get why people are buying copious amounts of stuff, but it's perfectly understandable why they're buying one or two extra bits, I'm not sure how you don't get that? I bulk buy loo roll anyway as the thought of having none in makes me anxious, so I haven't bought any since before Christmas but have plenty left; having not have to join in with the shortages now because of stockpiling isn't selfish. Same with pasta, I bought a 3kg bag in January as it works out cheaper and still have enough left it need be for 2 weeks. Being prepared is sensible, buying ridiculous amounts when there's shortages is selfish.

Sorry for not replying to thread I was asleep! The replies are really interesting thanks. I guess when I shop (online normally) I get enough stuff for a week. Maybe slightly more if things are 241 etc. So to be prepared for two weeks wouldn’t be a dramatic shift. If I needed to “survive” for two weeks with what we happened to have in house now we could. Might not be what we actually fancied to eat and I’m sure kids would be cross about lack of snacks and treats but we would be ok. So with that in mind I haven’t thought about panic buying /clearing shelves. I guess it does seem a pretty selfish way to behave. We are all well and fingers crossed won’t be affected massively when we get it (because we all will). I do understand the need for those will be feel the effects more. The post about community WhatsApp group was heartening. I’ve already made sure older neighbours nearby have my number if they need help.

PS sorry I didn’t post this on coronavirus chat, didn’t really there was one

I think people are stockpiling toilet roll because if they self-isolate, they will no longer be able to nick it from work shit at work.

The stockpiling is really irritating me as we're stuck in hospital with an ill newborn and the lack of hygiene is unbelievable.
I sent my DP out to buy cleaning products, wipes etc as the room hasn't been cleaned since Friday and her bassinet is repeatedly swimming in sick. Guess what? We can't get any bloody wipes or disinfectant! People were ranting in the aisles about soap also being out of stock.
I know we'll be out of toilet rolls when we go home, but we can't get any to take back with us .
Seems the whole hand washing and hand gel thing has passed hospital staff by though as despite my baby testing positive for a hospital superbug, they still can't wash their bloody hands
(Our area has confirmed Coronavirus cases so you'd think they'd be on the ball with hygiene).

If everyone buys 2 packs of toilet rolls when they normally buy one, the supermarkets run out twice as fast

Then word gets out on social media that everyone is panic buying loo rolls so then that’s what everyone actually does.

And yes, given the fact that a big announcement is coming today you are unreasonable to not understand why people are doing it.

Seems the whole hand washing and hand gel thing has passed hospital staff by though as despite my baby testing positive for a hospital superbug, they still can't wash their bloody hands

Insist on speaking to the head nurse / matron for the department. This is unacceptable. If you get no joy contact PALS.

Seems the whole hand washing and hand gel thing has passed hospital staff by though as despite my baby testing positive for a hospital superbug, they still can't wash their bloody hands

Of course nurses and doctors should wash hands between patients but....it’s not a hospital superbug it’s a resistant bacteria. Most likely acquired from a relative - MRSA is colonised on about 35% of people but, as they aren’t at risk from complications, it’s not a problem.

There are also policies around when a full hand wash is required and when gel is acceptable. It might be they are following the policy.
Ask the ward sister to explain the policy and then consider whether staff are acting outside of that or whether some isyour assumption about what should be happening.

I maintain a stock cupboard of basic supplies at all times because we do get cut off, it’s half hour to a shop or in case of unplanned visitors staying. This includes lavatory paper, soap and other toiletries, spare toothbrushes etc.
Food wise the pantry is well stocked with dried goods anyway. Rice, bread flour, and tinned or cartons of goods.

It’s not panic buying but having supplies in.

It's really not hard to understand.
It's doing something proactive in the face of a threat.
It's the result of seeing and hearing what has happened in other countries.
It's being able to stay in for a few weeks without having to go out to shop and therefore not spreading germs.
It's using the supply chains and shops while they are still up and running.
I work in a food shop and while we are seeing some prolonged empty shelves such as hand gel. The rest of it is filling up again when the deliveries come in. We're also limiting people to two of certain items.

Don't forget to panic buy pet food. Don't want to be eaten by my side own dog 🐕 while self isolating surrounded by tins of beans.

@mumof2exhausted

China lock down.
Italy in lockdown.
Denmark in lockdown.
Us cancelling all flights from Europe.
stock market in free fall
etc etc etc etc etc

Not panicked here just aware and waiting to see.

Do you still genuinely not get it?

Yes but the food shops are still open in Italy! People are not unable to feed themselves, or wipe their bottoms. I'm with the OP, supermarkets restock every day and there is no need to stockpile, and buying loads of stuff at once is extremely selfish.

who's bought loads of stuff at once? I've bought a bit more. I think the shortages in the main is everyone buying a bit more. ( there are always nutters who take things to the extreme)

Just for the record My friend in Rome tells me you have to queue for ages as they only let a few people into shops at a time. it's hard work. And obvs you can't actually do that if you're self isolating or actually ill.

Have fun queuing for hours when supermarkets impose 1m social distancing on shoppers as has been done in Italy. You can cheer yourself up with how right you were .

I think it started because people were worried about having to self isolate, then it was in the news and the masses began to think that supplies might run out.

It’s basically self preservation at the expense of all others- gone mad.

There is stocking up and there is stockpiling. People buying 98 toilet rolls, 16 bottles of hand sanitizer and 10kg of pasta arent prepared, they’re idiots.
Also not sure what normal people think is going to happen to their water supply. Woman in Tesco yesterday buying water ‘in case we have to wash’ ok then.
Mental.

It's really not hard to understand. It's doing something proactive in the face of a threat

Surely good hygiene & hand washing in the first place is far more preventative then buying 100 loo rolls & tins of beans