How long will the food madness go on for?

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I completely understand that once it became clear that restrictions and isolation are going to be necessary, people felt the need to stock up with enough food for a few weeks. I'm not going to criticise people for that, it's a normal survival instinct.

I did though, think that after the initial "panic", things would return to normal quite quickly.

I usually have a fairly well stocked store cupboard and was ill last week so I haven't been to a supermarket for two weeks. Just picked up a few fresh bits at the convienice store. I was rather optimistically hoping to do my usual weekly shop this week!

I don’t know, maybe now they’ve brought in the item limits people will go back towards shopping a bit more calmly?

I managed to get a full shop yesterday (normal 2 weekly one) obviously couldn’t get chicken, eggs, hand wash, tampons (don’t have a period during this time!!) and pasta etc. But had to go to five fucking supermarkets.

I can’t wait for this to calm the hell down!

Who the fuck knows?

I’ve had an Iceland order in for a week for delivery today, last night it was cut in half to below the minimum spend. I managed to top it up, just logged in and a four pack of chicken soup and, get this - a bottle of Salad bloody Cream have been removed 🙄
I’ve seen facebook posts from people who ‘know for a fact’ that ration books will be issued 😏
Local care homes with dozens of residents are also limited to 3 items, they are asking people to drop off bread and milk - they should ask the people who have bought second freezers 😡

I'm having to let my team leave work at random times of day to try to get basic supplies as the shelves are bare by the time we finish work. It's phenomenal. Where are people keeping all this stuff?

It is ridiculous. My DM and DMIL are both in their 80s so I am having to shop for them too. It's all very well having special times for the OAPs but makes it ridiculously hard for those trying to care for them. I can't shop for everyone at the same time because of limits, and am having to go to several supermarkets just to get the basics. My DM has to have gluten-free too!

I think it depends on your location. While I wasn't able to buy everything I wanted, things have eased here to the point that most categories are available in some form. I imagine it may get worse over the weekend, though not as bad as the previous and we'll see a cycle over the next 2-3 weeks that steadily reverts to normality outside of London.

My DH went shopping at 7am to the supermarket. It was completely bare. Got a bag of satsumas and a small amount of veg. We need bread, rice, pasta, potatoes, etc

People just need to stop and get a grip and be responsible. There is only so much food you can store and eat, especially fresh stuff. I can only imagine what the food waste is going to be like. So wasteful and frankly immoral in these circumstances.

I too thought people would stockpile enough to keep them going for a couple of weeks and then it would calm down. Shelves bare here. No meat, veg, bread, pasta etc.

I thought people would calm down as well.

DH works for Tesco and says sales in NI (who started panic buying about 2 weeks before we did) are not slowing yet.

Anecdotally, our local Morrison's had staff in hi-vis yesterday telling people to stop being ridiculous and out things back if they were taking too much (worded politely, obviously). They had reasonable stock.

Tesco Is rationing which I fully support so hopefully this will help. However their 3 per item applies to absolutely everything which seems a bit crazy. Also concerning for large families.

There seem to be no eggs at all in the city where I live. What is everyone doing with so many eggs? You can’t freeze them and surely there’s a limit on how many you can eat before they go off!

I wish people would calm down. Fine have a bit extra as a buffer if you fall ill/can’t get shopping. But the amount people must have in their homes is crazy. It’s making a horrible time so much worse.

People won't stop being selfish bastards.
It will continue unless the government introduces rationing.

It's madness surely the nutters doing it have run out of space and cash by now hopefully this new 3 item limit will slow them down if not! Also noticed a lot of people outraged by panic buyers but no one is owning up to been one which shows you they know how wrong and sick they are yet carry on

I did my mum's shopping yesterday. There was no soup, rice pudding or bananas. It's bloody madness out there.

You can freeze eggs (misses point entirely)

Seriously it's nuts. I always have extra in as we're rural so fine for now. But am now struggling to do a normal online shop and have had to book my elderly MIL's in 4 weeks in advance (she's self isolating and has dementia).

Surely people are going to run out of space soon and it will calm down?

We went to our local market yesterday and bought fruit, veg, eggs, cheese, bread. I have enough for about 12 days of meals for 3 of us hopefully.
Praying the market remains open...it is massive.

I think hope it will calm down, as people adjust to this new normal and the shelves get re-stacked. There's only so much you can stockpile, surely?!

I needed very little but had to go to several shops yesterday, and still no chicken or pasta, which isn't the end of the world, I can live without!

God, the waste is going to be awful.

Is it the same people wiping the shelves every day do you think? I can't understand people's shopping habits.

Bearing in mind the social distancing thing and yet everyone seems to want to be in the scrum at the supermarket 6 deep at the checkouts.

I think it depends where you live. I’m in central London and it’s awful. A completely bare supermarket at 7am?

Still totally empty yesterday here. Why are the supermarkets allowing these aresholes to do this?

For me ration books would be a good idea. I'm going to be doing my Mum's shopping. Also we have lots of elderly neighbours, can't cope with doing full shops for so many but maybe a rota for a few items each. No good if I can only buy one of something if say shopping for three at once.

I thought the elderly weren't meant to be going out, so shouldn't be doing early morning shops after the weekend. Nice of the shops to try and support them - it does only help those that can still drive though

This is heartbreaking.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-england-york-north-yorkshire-51966337/coronavirus-nurse-s-despair-as-panic-buyers-clear-shelves

I went to Tesco about 6.30 this morning, it was pretty quiet and I managed to get most things I wanted (mostly fresh fruit and veg, and dairy items), even if not the exact thing I would normally buy. There was of course no loo roll, pasta Or tinned tomatoes but other than that there were some of most things (the freezers were the worst but even then there were a few of each of a few different types of pizza, oven chips etc. No frozen veg tho). It was all pretty civilised at that point but I overheard 2 cashiers talking and one said that yesterday had been one of the worst days of her life it was that bad.

I've got a Tesco delivery due tonight which I ordered at the beginning of the week, ive already changed it 3 times due to items been taken out and I've looked this morning and most of the basic food has been taken off and even the pet food. I've not been panic buying and tried to be sensible but it's getting ridiculous now.

Do remember that people are now having to buy all the food they consume from supermarket shelves, whereas a month ago they were eating in staff canteens, buying lunch from Pret, eating dinner out sometimes, or with relatives. Their children may have had school meals, or meals with childminders. Every drink they consume is now from the local shelf, no more free water fountain and tea and coffee all day at work. No drinks in the pub. The demand is higher, regardless of stockpiling.