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Original poster

Are you a panic buyer?

382 replies

Insideimsprinting · 14/03/2020 07:22

Just that really. I would Just like to know why. There are lots of threads about people finding it ridiculous and not being able to get their normal shop, we're being told there is no need so why have you done it? Can you explain your panic, fear? Especially since its not happening across the board with all food stuffs andjust certain items.
Why toilet roll and not washing up liquid, shower gel etc, why pasta but not pasta sauces c why beans but not tinned soup etc

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9
PNomintrude · 14/03/2020 14:15

Not RTFT but I started getting anxious about the virus early on (January) so did a pretty big Costco shop then including extra cleaning stuff, nappies, sanpro and shelf stable food. I've also just made a donation to the local food bank and I feel reassured that whatever chaos the next few weeks or months hold, we should be in a better position to get by and help vulnerable family members as needed. I'm an anxious person and needed that security because I could see this coming. I fully accept I'm fortunate to be able to do this.

Last minute panicking is obviously not helpful and leaves others without what they need but I'm not sure it's a case of people going out and emptying the shelves. For most it will just be putting in a few extras to tide them over, I can't see what's so selfish about that. It's just that there’s cumulative effect, obviously.

DENMAN03 · 14/03/2020 14:23

I did panic buy the only cat food my spoilt cat likes... as for me, it will be a good opponent to run the freezer down for once so haven't bought anything extra.

Livelovebehappy · 14/03/2020 14:30

Thing is in tesco today lots of empty shelves but corner shop by us has full shelves and loads of toilet roll and hand sanitiser. Costs slightly more but very calm in there and no anxious panic buyers.

Oblomov20 · 14/03/2020 14:32

I haven't. Maybe I should have? I can't be bothered to go to Costco. I have stuff in the freezer, but not enough for more than a few days worth.

Plus there are NO supermarket delivery slots available, at any supermarket, for the next 3 weeks.

Hmm Maybe I'm unprepared?

Mumalu · 14/03/2020 14:35

I have changed my shop I have a family of 6 and usually I will do no more that 2 "frozen" dinners IV swapped fresh for frozen for this week so I've got some extras i always have pastas and noodles or hoops because of fussy eaters I couldn't stock pile as space and money just made a few tweaks to my shop for next 2 weeks we do probably 8 loo rolls a week? I bought 9 on Tuesday we have 2 left I always buy cleaning products and toiletries in doubles

goldenorbspider · 14/03/2020 14:37

I should have! Ran out of loo roll and few other bits. Can't face the shops so paper napkins it is. Will brace and go tomorrow

TheGoogleMum · 14/03/2020 14:41

DH nipped shop earlier to get some milk because we ran out, said staff were trying to put toilet roll on shelves and people were grabbing them all off the trolley. Staff saying deliveries are normal and there'll be more but didn't stop people grabbing multiple packs. DH admittedly grabbed just 1 small pack even though we hadn't run out yet (but are running low for us! We normally buy a pack of 24 rolls at a time). We haven't bought any extra pasta or anything

BodiesMakeForGoodFertiliser · 14/03/2020 14:45

Thing is in tesco today lots of empty shelves but corner shop by us has full shelves and loads of toilet roll and hand sanitiser. Costs slightly more but very calm in there and no anxious panic buyers.

No! You ruined it! Now they will know!

ShirleyPhallus · 14/03/2020 14:52

This thread is hilarious. Full of people saying “‘No I’m not a panic buyer... but I have bought extra of XYZ just in case”

Whah is the difference between a panic buyer and a prepper? You’re both buying things you don’t need yet for a future situation “just in case”

If everyone buys 1-2 more of something than they usually have then of course supplies will change! It’s such basic economics.

I personally am stocking up but that’s because I’m 39 weeks pregnant so was planning on not leaving the house for the foreseeable anyway.

lynsey91 · 14/03/2020 14:52

@PhilipJennings I didn't think I lived in a flood zone either. We are a good few miles from the nearest river and pretty high up. Earlier this year with all the heavy rain we have had water was just running off the fields and our road ended up with about 2 foot of water on it.

Our back garden was under water although thankfully none of it got into the house. It was impossible to get to our nearest town as all routes to it were flooded.

PNomintrude · 14/03/2020 15:05

ShirleyPhallus you've just admitted you're stocking up as well so maybe don't be so down on others doing so? Your reason is valid, so may other people's be. Wishing you the very best with your new baby anyway.

Amousetookastroll · 14/03/2020 15:08

Stockpiling is just as bad as panic buying IMO - supermarket shelves are empty but as long as YOUR cupboards are full with enough supplies to last An army for 6 months then that’s all right - screw everyone else 😡- still the cause of the problem and still fucking selfish

sleepingpup · 14/03/2020 15:17

but as long as YOUR cupboards are full with enough supplies to last An army for 6 months then that’s all right - screw everyone else 😡-

All the cliches

Can I ask @Amousetookastroll if you had to self isolate when would you get supplies?

Piecrust32 · 14/03/2020 15:18

I havent done anything different, tbh even if I did stockpile, my boys would see it as a challenge to get through it all...

I am a wing it and see how it goes kind of person

Only thing I'm frustrated with I'm 24 weeks pregnant and craving milk it's a pain getting some 🙄

lynsey91 · 14/03/2020 15:20

@Amousetookastroll surely depends on over how long a period someone has been stockpiling.

I have had enough tins and frozen food to last for weeks for years. I haven't bought any more food than usual over the last month or so. In fact I have probably bought slightly less than usual.

I usually buy 2 packs of 18 loo rolls at a time. Yesterday I only bought one as this will last for quite a while

ShowOfHands · 14/03/2020 15:20

I loathe the word "grab". Anyway...

We have a young family in our village. He's on a zero hours contract and she's disabled. They buy enough food for a week because they can't afford more and they don't drive. The bus to the supermarket is a £16 quid round trip with tiny children. They usually shop online but this week there were no nappies, wipes, pasta, toilet roll or tins sent. I drove them to three shops today and queued for the fricking carpark each time. No toilet roll and no bloody nappies. We were 5 minutes too late for toilet roll in the last shop apparently. It didn't even get to the shelf. People were snatching and running. I managed to find some in a corner shop and I'm about to drop them round. Madness. Utter madness.

ShirleyPhallus · 14/03/2020 15:27

@PNomintrude thank you! Smile

I’m not judging people for stocking up, I’m judging those that say smugly say they aren’t “panic buying” but are actually “stockpiling” and pointing out there’s actually not a difference!

AmIAWeed · 14/03/2020 15:32

I'd say I'd be classed as a panic buyer as I've done multiple shops this week.
Usually I go to the supermarket with a meal plan for the week and only buy what's on there. I was concerned if I got sick how I'd get food in for the kids. I also remember the riots of 2011 and don't want to be anywhere near a shop if things get bad. I refuse to clear shelves anywhere, i've picked up soup and tins, food to batch cook. Then the next day gone to another shop and bought the same again, essentially rationing myself as opposed a shop imposed one. I guess I justify it in my mind because I am spacing the shopping - however I will continue, and now I've enough food for my family will continue to buy at my current rate so I can hand out to vulnerable neighbors OR if that's not necessarily donate to the food banks. I'm in an insanely fortunate position to be able to do this

BodiesMakeForGoodFertiliser · 14/03/2020 15:32

I always have homemade ready meals in a freezer. When it's stocked up there is 20+. It's not because I would be getting ready for something. It's because I am super lazy and have been known to eat bread for dinner instead of cooking out of pure laziness so when I cook I make extra portions.Blush

I never imagined there are actually people, unless they are in that bad financial situation, who just have NOTHING at home the day of the weekly shop. I always thought it's some odd exaggeration.
Thinking about it... We could probably live 3 weeks from the food we have atm with some rationing. It's mainly because I like variety so I have 4 cans of beans, but each is different bean. Or 3 bags of Chinese dumplings because each are different.
I thought that's normalBlush

But I need my eggs!

Amousetookastroll · 14/03/2020 15:32

@sleepingpup - good question - will be difficult when all the supplies are stored in the stockpilers houses

As for the cliches - maybe - but they are cliches for a reason - we wouldn’t be having these problems if it weren’t for selfish people clearing the shelves which then leads the normally sane people to grab stuff as soon as they see it for fear of it not being there the next time - and repeat...

BodiesMakeForGoodFertiliser · 14/03/2020 15:33

Tbh there is some chicken curry from april 2019 which I discovered yesterday so no virus stockpilingBlush

PNomintrude · 14/03/2020 15:35

@ShirleyPhallus I misunderstood your post, sorry!

I agree there's no real difference between the two and I don't like the way it's pitting groups of people against each other. Obviously if people are going out behaving badly in supermarkets and fighting over loo roll then that's awful but it's understandable that there's an increase in demand for certain things. I don't think anyone is to blame for that.

Angel2702 · 14/03/2020 15:39

Not usually a panic buyer but with two kids with Autism who have a very restricted diet I have bought differently. We usually do little shops through the week and our weekly delivery is mainly lunchbox foods. I went and did a big shop of the non perishable items to make sure we had them.

I don’t want to be doing lots of little shops better to have what we need than repeatedly mixing with other people in the shops.

AlexaShutUp · 14/03/2020 15:43

I haven't joined in the panic buying, but started gradually building up my stocks of basic items weeks ago, just a little at a time. I'm really glad that I did, because now the shelves are empty and it's impossible to get anything.

EmmaBridgewater20 · 14/03/2020 15:44

It’s beyond infuriating!!! I do Ocado and they’re site and app has gone to shit! I’ve got my regular shop coming tomorrow but had to do another new order for tomorrow at 10pm with stuff for dinners as I couldn’t get on the app to add things to the order tomorrow, then I had to order more to spend over the delivery threshold for tomorrow night.

The supermarkets have got a lot to do with this, as they’ve been letting people do it!!!! I’ve just seen a very responsible post from Aldi though saying they’re limiting every item to 4 units.