AIBU to think panic buyers are not only selfish but also stupid

[Miajk]

First of all, if you buy out all the soap and sanitiser so there's no left for anyone else, you're not really that safe. Because everyone else is walking around spreading germs anyway.

But also, don't panic buy. Shops won't close instantly. Once the government tells everyone the world is on lockdown, then panic buy, but for now just stop being an idiot.

Educate yourself, wash your hands. Tired of seeing people buying PPE for builders/decorators and using it as a sanitary mask (not medically approved). Or wearing masks that don't cover their nose, just mouth. Also wash your hands after using the toilet anyway.

What's really scary is that if there was a real threat to humanity we'd kill each other with our stupidity and selfish greed quicker than the actual problem would.

@PumpkinP
Exactly pumpkin!!! If people weren’t cunts you would get a slot. They could leave it at your door,
It’s fucking pathetic.

It’s called a vicious circle

All it takes is one cunt to think it’s a good idea and then all of a sudden everyone thinks it’s ok.

It’s beyond selfish. I hope it really fucks you all who’ve done it.

I would imagine supermarkets only have so many delivery vans and trained delivery drivers/pickers. They can't magic them from nowhere in an instant.

tried to do online deliveries for PIL and another elderly relative today. no slots at all at any of the supermarkets for the next three weeks. Nothing

I imagine as more and more people become ill and schools possibly close meaning people having to stay home many of these slots wont be honoured anyway because of a lack of staff

@Sparklingbrook

I bought a 12 pack of wotsits for any self isolation emergencies and 2 days later DH and DS have nearly cleared the lot

Sooooo nobody is supposed to be doing online shopping. Didn’t get that remit.

@DressingGownofDoom, that's like eating all the Christmas food before the 25th December.

Delivery slots from thurs onwards from asda. Im usually able to book one for the day after though.

Surely it has to stop though. How much stuff can these panic buyers get before theyre satisfied?

People are scared, they think they are going to die. They're filling up their houses so when everyone in their area gets CV they can shut the door and not go out. Yes, the supermarkets will still get daily deliveries but every time a family member goes to the shop they are putting themselves at risk of catching it.

Yes the young, fit, healthy people with no health conditions are stupid because the statistics say they'll make a full recovery.

I'm now thankful for Brexit - I'd bought in extra long life items back when a no deal loomed.

I don’t know many very elderly that are panic buying. It’s mostly the 35-65 range as far as I am aware in my personal circle.

And mainly people with children. Even though they will be the absolute winners in this.

A 90 year old cant really panic buy

I tried to do online deliveries for PIL and another elderly relative today. no slots at all at any of the supermarkets for the next three weeks. Nothing.

OH that’s awful. 10 days doesn’t seem that bad now.

To the people saying well if people weren’t so selfish etc its too late for that now!! If you can’t beat them..

@GiveHerHellFromUs - who eats green pea pasta? People like my DD who are Coeliac and have allergies and can’t eat normal pasta. Thanks to people like you there is a shortage of the already limited things she can eat. I tried 4 supermarkets today and there was no gluten free pasta in any of them because people who don’t need it are buying it.

And mainly people with children. Even though they will be the absolute winners in this

What?

I dont think anyones a winner in this.

I imagine its much easier to be childless when youre facing a pandemic which will close schools and childcare tbh.

@Babytigerrr
WTAF
I have very elderly parents. Children do not die of this LOOK at the stats
Healthy people do not die of this. Middle Ages and young people do not die of this.

But yes of course. I will be much better off dealing with 6 funerals of my entire elderly relatives. I should be SO grateful your kids have more pasta than they need

Just tried to get on Ocado and I'm in a virtual queue, estimated wait 15 minutes.

There are other ways to wipe your ass 🤷🏻‍♀️

Oh for goodness sake a few packs of extra pasta incase parents are stuck indoors and aren’t able to drag kids round a supermarket during a shut down is hardly a crime. Really don’t need the drama, we all have elderly relations.

@c3line

It’s not a few extra packets of pasta!! Are you on glue

@aroundtheworldyet

Oh yeah cos people with kids obv dont have any elderly relatives. Silly me.

Nobodys winning here.

“ on the glue” - most trite MN phrase ever.

It's as pp said, it's not hundreds of people buying piles of things but everyone buying a few extra things. That's all it takes to empty the shelves.

The point in NO ONE needs to panic buy
And the ones that will lose on this are the very poor. People who live pay day to pay day and the very elderly, people on PIP, people with health conditions who don’t have much money.

All who are at higher risk of actually catching this and dying rather than just being ok.

If you’re able and healthy and your children are able and healthy there is absolutely no reason to leave the poor, old and vulnerable with empty shelves.

Doing that makes you pretty evil

Ocado no longer accepting new customers apparently.

On glue?

Grow up.

Heres what I think has happened. People who can afford to/ have space to store things have been quietly popping a few extra things in their trolleys for a short while. Special offer on dishwasher tabs/ toilet roll/ kleenex? Yup I bought a few extra. Same with baked beans or canned soup. Hasn’t caused any disruption anywhere.

Then about 2 weeks ago, it started to get more serious and people started to seriously ‘stockpile’. I remember receiving an email from my online supermarket warning customers that there was unprecedented levels of larger than normal deliveries. and to book slots in advance and expect items to be out of stock. That’s when it started from what I can see.

But things still stayed relatively ok, local to me. Even last week. My local supermarket was very well stocked and I did no more than my normal weekly food shop. They even had toilet roll/ paracetamol/ baby products. Everyone was buying sensibly. Picking one pack of toilet rolls, or one bottle of bleach. Etc. Leaving plenty for everyone else.

Then the non stop hype from the press. The constant photos circulating of empty shelves. My local Tesco (as an example) had a few empty aisles, everything else was absolutely fine, but if I’d taken a photo of that one aisle and posted it online saying the tescos shelves are cleared, what do my local friends think? They panic and think ‘s*, I haven’t stockpiled anything! I must get in and get things that are running out!’ Even if they don’t need it.

Then a huge tranche of people got paid on Friday and because the press has them whipped up into a frenzy, we got the unprecedented scenes on Saturday we can see on social media everywhere. People are scared and not thinking sensibly or pragmatically.

I mean the toilet roll thing has me genuinely stumped. I’ve explained to my children. We run out of toilet roll? We have running water and soap. Wash your bottom, dry it. Wash hands. Done. Wash the hand towels regularly. I mean it really does not warrant the unbelievable scenes we are seeing.

But people are scared. And scared of the unknown. And when they’re scared of the unknown they do the things that will
Make them feel in control. Like stockpile toilet roll. It’s completely irrational but shows what fear can do to people.

(Nb. For those people who did this with the view of profiteering, then those people deserve a special place in hell).