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.

As I said upthread if we get to the point that food delivery's can't get to the supermarkets & consumers then we have more important things to worry about

If 20% of supermarket workers were off - self isolating, ill or just looking after kids if schools close like Ireland, Denmark, Italy then deliveries would be affected- especially if more people were wanting them. It would all slow right down. it wouldn't have to be Doomsday.

yes you can have your loo roll - but next week.

appreciate what has been said and why but it does remind me of when the first snowflake falls everyone charges to Tesco and buys anything resembling milk and bread its sheer panic buying

Not sure why its so surprising that people are stocking up?
Surely it's obvious that if most of the country ends up having to self isolate, there WILL BE no-one working in shops or driving the home delivery vans? How do you expect to get your online shop if there are literally no staff to do so?
I think people who are not preparing (sensibly) will regret their decision.
There is a difference between prepping and panic buying.
I have a stock of dried goods (rice, pasta of all kinds, jars and tins, freezer is stocked up, tinned tuna/meats etc.)
If we were stuck in the house we would probably be okay for 3 months at a push.
Local Tesco here is out of all pasta, rice, tinned stuff, handsoap, toilet rolls and paracetamol. Weirdly, Morrisons seems to be fine!

I find it quite likely that our family (3 adults) will have to self-isolate at some point, either because we are ill or because we know someone who is. It's to do with the nature of the jobs. I would certainly not have had 14 days food for 3 adults in the house, usually buy for a week at a time and mostly fresh. So yes, I have got some tins and things in. If one person goes down, then nobody will be able to go shopping. No way Ocado and similar are going to be able to cater for everybody who needs them, particularly as some of their staff may well be affected too.
But do feel it's important to buy considerately, bit of this, bit of that, rather than empty the shelves. Noticed that my local Coop does rationing of pasta and rice.

Yes, it’s likely that we will need to take that precaution if things start to get properly serious - my daughter has a condition that means she is at risk. Luckily my DH is able to WFH if needed. But this is not just about us - this is about anyone with asthma/cardiovascular issues/suppressed immunity, and everyone who remains blasé and complacent will be putting others at direct risk. So I’m going to ensure that we have what we need (note, what we need, not a huge amount extra!) in order to be able to bow out if needed, and also in order not to put the system under further stress at such a time where things get properly difficult and more people will be trying to access food and supplies. If that never happens and it all blows over, great! We’ll probably maintain our small stash from now on to ensure we have it in another eventuality.

Ocado won’t deliver for a week and if you’re self isolating it makes sense to have food already.

My lovely friends pensioners, flew out to America when their sons marriage broke down and he was left with the children to help out with things. They flew home this week said lots of masks on plane and Austrians panicking on the flight, so they have decided to self isolate for a couple of weeks. We have offered to shop for them in the meantime. I know if they had not gone they would have stocked up themselves. It is prepping not panicking.

I know why people are panicking about low stocks of loo roll..............................

Cos one person coughs, and dozens of people shit themselves !!!! :)

But as this tread shows there is a difference in having 2 to 3 weeks of food and enough to last for 3 months. One persons prepping is another’s stock piling.

It's dear of the unknown but there's a weird view that online deliveries would somehow not be possible if you are quarantined which is what I don't get. They can just leave the shopping outside so unless daily life totally stops there wouldn't be an issue

Have you tried to book an on line delivery slot lately? 4 day wait now for Tesco who are a huge operator. Is it not beyond your wit that if everyone opts for on line that it would very soon become nigh on impossible?

If 20% of supermarket workers were off - self isolating, ill or just looking after kids if schools close like Ireland, Denmark, Italy then deliveries would be affected- especially if more people were wanting them. It would all slow right down. it wouldn't have to be Doomsday.

wouldn't it affect medical equipment, supplies & medication though if it hit food supplies or are their supply chains immune?

How on earth would online shopping NOT be affected? Who's going to pick, pack and deliver the shopping if many people are off work sick or self isolating?
Are shops workers somehow immune? It's already about 5 or 6 days pre-booking to get an online shopping slot. It's only going to get worse.

If we were stuck in the house we would probably be okay for 3 months at a push

Perhaps i've watched too many apocalyptic films but if millions of us need to hole up for 3 months who's going to maintain the electrical, gas & water supplies? deliver medication & hospital supplies where it needs to go?

Yes well, that's another question, You can only control the things you can control! ie food supplies etc.

hence why I said we had more to worry about as opposed to how much pasta & toilet roll we can store.

not too mention looters who will steal your supplies

@bizzybuzzy

why would anyone be immune?

Supermarkets operate on " just in time" basis but hopefully hospital medicines etc are stock piled.

If gas electric supplies interrupted, you go to bed at dark or use candles, read books, previously we lived somewhere where that happened regularly, an open fire helped but otherwise we lived by daylight. Oh and forget shopping electronic tills, card use will be kaput. Another reason to prep.

Hi @mumof2exhausted, we've moved this over to our coronavirus topic!

nah Buzzy you can't Just rely on supermarket delivery to bale you out if you need food that's the point. It might take a week which is useless if you need paracetamol now.

I don't think the alternative is society breaking down. Nope.

I was being sarcastic @sleepingpup & given how shite NHS procurement is I don't there is much stockpiled.

Oh and forget shopping electronic tills, card use will be kaput.

Yep & then we have a run on the banks as everyone takes all their cash out

I wish I had bought toilet roll when everyone else was I am running low and I can’t find any in the shops near me!

You know, the taps would still be running.
How do you think the water supply works? Getting it both in and out of your house? How many people are involved to get that service to work?

The cash is useless, those tills rely on electricity, not many shops have the old fashioned turning key anymore. You cannot open them to take cash. Cash machines also need electricity to work.

Buzzy and me.

Since day 1 there have been posters all "well I'll just get an on line delivery..."