I am a prepper and have been for over a year in anticipation of a possible no deal brexit. I have kept up my stock as I find being prepared reassuring. I think I have around a months food in the house although things might get a little random after a couple of weeks.
I order loo rolls online from ‘Who gives a crap’. They come in boxes of 48 and one arrived last week. I probably have around 60 in total and they are double length. I have told friends they can share if they run short. This is a normal amount for me. No panic, not been near a shop.
I tend to grocery shop online. I have done an order for mid week (10 days since my last one) and noticed there was no paracetamol/own brand pain/cold meds or much anti bac. Lots of things are out of stock but there are usually alternatives. Lots of items are limited to 2-3. A pain for me is that the UHT milk I like is limited to 3. We drink 1 or more a day so get through 6-8 per week usually. This is the one thing I don’t have many of in stock. We seem to use more than I expect! I have a weeks worth though and if I don’t have cereal, could stretch it.
I have added a few different things to my shop this week. These include foods that would be easy for my 13 yo to prepare if I am sick. I am a single mum with no family. His dad is high risk so would be keen to stay away. I have added noodles, frozen foods, snacks, garlic bread, soup and extra drinks. We always buy loads of fruit and veg. This is what I would miss most if I could not get shopping but we wouldn’t go hungry. I have consciously avoided buying the things which are running short in shops this week. I will amend my order the night before to see the items which are out of stock and order substitutes if I can.
I think it is natural, sensible even for people to pick up an extra few bits in case they are self isolating or sick. they also see bare shelves so when something is available they get extra, it doesn’t matter how much the government says there is enough, if the shelves are bare, they are bare. It is surprising how many people shop daily or don’t keep anything in stock. I don’t mean people who live hand to mouth but people who could afford to be more prepared. My mum always kept a stocked pantry and I have done the same, Given the way the system works, if everyone buys 2 or 3 extra tins of beans, an extra pack of loo rolls, an extra whatever, those things will run out. I think there are far more people doing that than there are those buying 100 loo rolls or a dozen packs of pasta and I don’t think those people can be criticised. Those emptying shelves are selfish but perhaps shops should have stepped in sooner with limiting the number of items.