Message from Sainsburys

[Changedmyname84]

Did anyone else get this? You will have seen that, due to the ongoing uncertainty around the full impact of Coronavirus, supermarkets have been much busier than usual and customers are choosing to stock up. I wanted to personally reassure you that we have more food and other essential items coming to us from manufacturers and into our warehouses and distribution centres. If we all shop just for the food that we and our families need, there will be enough for everyone. I also wanted to let you know that at Sainsbury's, we are working really hard to ensure this remains the case. Over the past two weeks we have:

Ordered more stock of essential items from our suppliers

Put more capacity into our warehouses and

Set limits on a small number of items, including some cleaning products, soap and pain relief. This is a precautionary measure - if everyone shops normally, there will be enough for everyone.
There are gaps on shelves because of increased demand, but we have new stock arriving regularly and we're doing our best to keep shelves stocked. Our store colleagues are working tirelessly and doing the best job they can.
Which brings me onto a request. Please think before you buy and only buy what you and your family need. If we all do this then we can make sure we have enough for everyone. And please help elderly and vulnerable friends, family and neighbours with their shopping if you can.
I wanted to take this opportunity to thank you for your continued support and to thank our colleagues who are all working incredibly hard to ensure we can continue to serve our customers well.
Best wishes

Mike

I have a stockpile. I've been called selfish but I'm afraid that when the whole of the UK is panic buying, I need to be sure I can provide for my family. The shelves in the supermarkets around here are empty and I can't make 15 trips to get a different item each day when it's replenished. I have 2 weeks worth of supplies on hold in case we have to self isolate, I think this is perfectly reasonable.

In holding everyone has run out of space!

Except all my local supermarkets are totally out of toilet roll and have empty shelves - even the big ones.

Starting to wish I had stocked up more (normal have one in use and one in the cupboard. Wish I had a few more in the cupboard).

Surely the panic buying will slow down soon, people don't have unlimited storage, there must come a point when people decide they have enough and pretty much stop buying extra. Unless they're one of the idiots selling loo roll on ebay.

I got this and also one from Holland & Barrett saying similar things. DH works for Boots and he has been working the past 2 Sundays because they are literally flat out trying to get stock in from suppliers (he's on receiving) and processed to get out to the stores. The shops can cope if people buy sensibly. All I did was check if we had the correct level of medecines and we already had hand stuff and a lot of toiletries (due to him working where he does!) and then added a few bits to the food shop. If push comes to shove we can wipe our arses on the collection of Metros we keep to use for decorating.

I got the same message on my mobile this morning.

If only people had done this in the first place ... sadly, he may be preaching to the converted.

On the local news they interviewed a young man who had three very large bottles of hand sanitiser in his trolley and a mountain of loo rolls. He admitted that maybe he was panic buying and it might not be necessary but he showed not a hint of shame.

Lucky me, I found a small travel bottle of hand sanitiser in the cupboard under the stairs but psst, don't tell anyone.

4forkssake

Greed then

But people will go to other supermarkets where there are limits

They really need to be putting limits on baby products like formula, nappies and medicine! I don’t think they genuinely care though. They will be raking it in and rubbing their hands with glee!

The only thing left in the rice and pasta (plus tinned veg, pasta sauce etc) aisle was several packs of cauliflower rice!

I think they need to massively restrict their opening hours.

However...

I should have worded my question better. I realise that people in public facing roles, retail and those who use public transport have a need for hand gel. In my case I work part time, I drive to work, and I have access to soap and water when ever I need to clean my hands. I don't think people like me should be buying up all the hand gel.

I think gel should be given to those who actually need it and sold (sensible amounts) to those who want it.

I think that unlike what was called the 'blitz spirit' in which people united in support of fighting a tangible enemy

If the Blitz happened now this country would collapse in a matter of days. This generation is very different to the one of WW2 time, as evidenced by the current ridiculous hysteria and panic buying. And not in a good way.

On the local news they interviewed a young man who had three very large bottles of hand sanitiser in his trolley and a mountain of loo rolls

Why aren't the till operators or supervisors, if they are using self checkout, limiting what they can put through?

Oh I saw a lovely story of a small grocery store giving out packs to their elderly customers (hand gel, soap and wipes) - it had cost the £2k but they were so lovely!

The only thing my local 3 supermarkets haven’t got is hand sanitiser. Everything else was fully stocked, no empty shelves.
I’m in Ireland in a coastal area and we’re already in a lockdown with the schools closed etc.

I've been trying to get antibacterial kitchen spray or wipes for a couple of weeks now - nothing. We usually use the (supposedly) eco friendly stuff and have loads of that. Whether this is down to letting people buy far too much or the system not being able to cope with people adding a few extras, it certainly shows supply chains aren't working.

If any of you are close to smaller high streets or have corner shops nearby these are typically still full of soap/wipes/dried goods etc.

@Thinkingaboutsummer2020 I’ve had to substitute items over the last week, currently using shower gel as soap, have decanted it into the empty liquid soap container, it does the same job. Get some Zoflora and dilute it with water in an empty anti bac spray bottle and use washable micro fibre cloths, Zoflora claims to kill 99.9 of viruses.

I think people who stockpile are greedy and selfish. Some people have nothing, while others have far more than they need. My children and I travel by public transport but don't have any hand sanitiser. Yet other people have far more than they're going to need. We are a large family and have three toilet rolls left. Are those of you with a cupboard full going to share, or just keep hold of it "just in case"? I feel really disappointed in this country at times like this. But, in contrast, my mum was in the supermarket yesterday and bent down to pick up one of two packets of spaghetti left when another woman grabbed both packets and started to walk off. She then turned back and gave my mum one of the packets. Hopefully she represents the majority, and the greedy grabbers represent the minority.

The only thing my local 3 supermarkets haven’t got is hand sanitiser. Everything else was fully stocked, no empty shelves.

Same but with Quorn too

I had family over this weekend and struggled to find any biscuits! Just to serve with tea!
Not being nasty, but biscuits are very easy to make if you have flour, butter and eggs.
Oh I saw a lovely story of a small grocery store giving out packs to their elderly customers (hand gel, soap and wipes) - it had cost the £2k but they were so lovely! that was in Brighton, where I live. I saw it in the local paper.

Doesn't help me. I had an order due to arrive last night and got an email this morning saying it had been cancelled. Called the customer helpline and it was cancelled because my store has no stock. Next delivery slots are 3 weeks away and we are currently isolating as we all have coughs.

I'm sick of how selfish some people are.

Doesn’t matter what the supermarkets say, idiots will carry on stockpiling. And some of those of these idiots are on here.