How long will the food madness go on for?

[DoubleAction]

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!

Just because myself and my friends aren't out there grabbing anything they can get their grubby mitts on, it doesn't mean selfish people are mythical beasts.

Surely people will run out of a) money or b) space??? I mean we have quite a bit in, but not excessive - 3 kids. We have a fair amount of disposable income/savings and a good income and I am thinking I need to be careful now... surely others must be the same???? The avg salary in UK is what, £20k?? Where is all this money coming from??

I think the panic buying started a bit earlier than the UK here in Australia (happy to be corrected) but it is still getting worse

Reports here is that it is often the same people buying trolley loads day after day and they are going back to the car and then returning to the supermarket for more to get around the limits. I’ve also heard that freezers are sold out here.

Haven't managed to get hardly anything in the shops, no fresh meat/frozen food. Tinned food, bread, eggs, etc. The worker on frozen foods said he had nothing to do for his shift as there was nothing to put out on the delivery other than some vegetarian meals. He was just sweeping out the freezers. I'm starting to get a bit panicked now. I've booked a slot for 8th April but if there's nothing in stock for them to pick then it'll be pointless.

Yes, freezers! My freezer broke down, and it's not fixable, went online to buy a new one and there's nothing in stock anywhere. Luckily we had an ancient one in the garage that DH was going to convert into a smoker so I've commandeered that.

Madness!

It's not just people stockpiling. With so many eateries closed, people are needing to eat more in the house. I buy lunch out and often breakfast as well 5 days a week in the city. So that's an extra 10 meals a week needed. Never mind a night or two at a restaurant. I think the food shortages are being played down and will be here for a bit.

We don’t even have a freezer.

I really hope some sort of rationing is put forward, it really needs to happen. I have 5 kids and tbh im freaking out that in two weeks we won't be able to eat. Luckily i have things in until then. But im close to tears at the realisation that all we can get soon is junk food.

Something more needs to be done as this has gone too far and although theres a 2 package limit, people are just going back to get more and more and more. Selfish eejits

It's madness, people who are fit and well do not need to bulk buy, we can go to the shop. Worst case we're stuck indoors for two weeks. People who have a case for bulk buying ie. elderly etc can't because those who don't need to have got their first.

At some point in the very near future, the ones who bought far more than they should have, will sit there and get fat through all the eating and lack of exercise. They can't keep buying freezers and keep stock piling. Until then, hang on in there

Also i think varadkar has been clear and had strong boundaries, as well as appealed very well yo the emotional side.

I suffer with anxiety and am amazed at how calm I have managed to keep myself with everything going on. Well until last week ☹

I went shopping last Sunday to just do out normal shop as we needed stuff in the house. I had to go to 5 supermarkets dragging my little boy around. I think it set me off that ‘my god people are actually doing this’. I cant afford to stock pile and until I saw the state of the shops I suppose I believed it cant be as bad as the media are showing us. But it really is!

Reality hit for me when schools closed, as from today I am not allowed back to work until schools reopen and no one knows when that will be. (I even cried at that – not that I don’t take this seriously, this needs to happen, but work for me is an escape from being stuck at home, and because I have no control now over my income and keeping our heads above water I am scared. I am a single parent with no help from my sons Dad, so times are always pretty hard, but this will be on another level).

I decided to pop and get a few things yesterday after school as it’s more important for me to know I can feed my little boy. The supermarkets were worse than ever. No bread, milk, cheese, ham, yogurt, pasta, rice, eggs, cereal. No loo roll, paracetamol, cleaning stuff. I have never ever seen freezers completely empty. I walked away with a bottle of pop and a bottle of washing up liquid! We got in our car and it hit me how bad it is. Even with the limits being introduced everything is being wiped out. I am down to eating my sons left overs and the crusts off his bread. I am ok with not eating, as I would rather feed him. But this morning he asked me why I wasn’t having dinner and I said because I need to make sure I can feed you. He said no, you need to eat you can share mine, bless him.

This has to stop soon. We don’t have lots in and will run out. I also need to make sure I can drop stuff to my elderly parents as they have been unable to get anything either.

It’s all making me so sad. I get this is everyones survival instinct but so many people are being left without. ☹ Supermarket shelves are empty by 10am. If you are in work still you haven’t got a chance

@Spideymum I’m so sad for you and what you’re going through I don’t think anyone imagined that a situation like this would make people abandon any humanity they have

we can go to the shop.
There is nothing in the shop. I didn’t eat yesterday at all and the shop was bare also first thing this morning. I’ve got fruit.

Head over to the preppers board, they're alright jack (sorry )

Most of the blame for this fiasco lies with the panic buyers themselves, of course, but the supermarkets really haven’t helped themselves. They should have introduced and strictly enforced limits on purchases much earlier. The cynic in me wonders if the bosses were enjoying seeing their sales figures increase and trying to defend their market share...

If you are friends with someone in food retail, ask them to give you a heads up if they receive delivery of certain things you are lacking

My local morning radio host was going on about how we should all go and get big second freezers. That was two weeks ago and since then no mince in any shops. Helpful.

Head over to the preppers board, they're alright jack (sorry flowers )

Oh fuck off. We're alright because we sensibly bought more months ago when there were no supply problems. I haven't been near a supermarket or shop. We are helping not hindering.

The schools are closing today and the over 70's were told to stay in by the end of the week so I'm hoping that today is the last panic spree, that from tomorrow everyone will be at home with the door shut and the frenzy will end.

People must be running out of money and storage space by now?

I don’t it will calm down, it’s just getting so worse.
I actually think there will be looting and anarchy soon, people fighting in gangs to get food etc..
Just like from Walking dead. Absolutely shocking.
I just had online order delivered and the driver said he doesn’t understand the madness as lorries deliver into supermarkets every day as normal.
There would NOT be Any shortages at all IF people would act and shop normally.

@UrsulaLittleBear I know someone (through someone else) who owns one the biggest egg producers. The chickens are still laying but a lot of their workers are sick so they can’t pack them !

The driver said- this is all the people’s fault. As supermarkets would be very normal if people wouldn’t get crazy and selfish..

@curious78 - I have always kept a stock of the necessities, it was the way I was bought up.

Thanks to the stocks I have I am not shopping apart from milk etc which is getting delivered to me as normal.

I am buying less than normal, not more.

It is not the preppers to blame, it is people panic buying which is totally different.