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!

People are stockpiling because they have no confidence in the government - the plans seem to change on a daily basis and go from "we will do this when the time is right" to suddenly doing it tomorrow.

Supermarkets were really slow to react too, they were just happy to cash in on the best sales ever.

There are posts all over MN of people saying I have rice, potatoes, chicken, or whatever, but can’t get pasta etc, it it is outrageous.

Aren’t they the panic buyers? Because the vast majority of these people have food or can buy food easily, just not some particular item they would prefer to eat.

Bread, milk, eggs or whatever are not essentials if you have some other food there that you can buy. Getting frustrated, looking around for people to blame, that is what panicking looks like.

It’s very easy to blame other people. But if there are now people who due to allergies or other food restrictions can’t find anything to eat, anyone shopping for food when there is food in their house is part of the problem.

I have various family members treating it like a game of bingo. Went to Aldi got pasta. Went to Tesco, got frozen fish. But they already have food. They can say we didn’t have pasta so buying it isn’t panic buying. But if you already have an alternative meal, it is panic buying.

Many more people are working from home than usual, and with the kids off school now, people do need more food at home. Whereas these people would usually be eating in the office or at school. I'm getting through more milk than usual, just from having so much tea during the day!

I went to my local Asda today ( one of the largest in the country ) and was expecting bare shelves due to the corona moaners saying how bad it was. Ok it wasn’t perfect but the majority of stuff was available.

I got talking to a manager who said that the supply isn’t a problem it’s getting the shelves re-stocked constantly that is proving difficult and checkout staff were telling customers that there were lots of jobs available if they were looking or know anyone who is.

The only things I couldn’t get that were on my list were eggs, red milk ( green and blue both available ) pasta, tea bags and fresh chicken.
I’m lucky because we can afford to shop around and will try elsewhere tomorrow.

Lots of people I know tend to shop for a couple of days and don’t think ahead as everything is so readily available usually.

Also as someone else said, it helps if you have a good stock at home to start with. I normally make 12 packed lunches a week and many many meals. Both dc are now off school and college and my food will disappear much faster.

I’m glad that there are now limits as some people are utterly selfish. I actually felt sorry for the staff today who were all chipping in to get stuff out. I will never take anything for granted again that’s for sure.

I count as a prepper then as i do online shops and don't drive always bulk bought heavy things in bulk but that was months ago before the panic buying started mid Jan here and now im down to my last few tins and i have no fresh stuff in at all we've been told to self isolate for 12 weeks by my midwife since DS is only 8 weeks old but i can't even get a tiny £40 shop delivered till mid april let alone panic buy like everyone else the whole situation is very dire and scary now and its the vulnerable house bound like us that are struggling

I'm eating strange things this week as we couldn't get our normal food stuffs. I'm right in the middle of the virus too and now self isolating so stuck with this this week. Hope by the time I reappear next week the situation is better.

It’s madness I agree, we are isolating for 12 weeks, as I have MS, it’s such a pain trying to get a delivery slot, we are so grateful for whatever arrives with our delivery and the people along the supply chain who have made it happen. We are also adding items to our order for elderly neighbours that are also self isolating and can’t get what they need. I hope things calm down. Keep safe everyone. Good luck.

I did go out today as I needed milk and bread and the Tesco had some things in but not others. I went out early so can imagine that some items will have sold out by the time others get there.

@seeline Morrison's for this

Supermarkets should remove trolleys and only supply baskets to help control stockpiling.

We are being told to practice social distancing but then have to shop at supermarkets which are rammed full with hundreds of people in close proximity.

What about the elderly who can't carry a basket? Or families just doing their normal weekly shop for a family of 4 ? Removing trolleys would lead to a wider spread as people would be shopping daily. The supermarket's and their employees need to stamp out hoaders by limiting the amount they can buy and stopping them at shelves and checkouts if they have too much id even go as far as banning the worst culprits

Did see a few signs today on shops saying toilet roll purchases are one per transaction.

The panic buyers have got to be running out of room by now?!A few days ago I saw someone open her car boot, which was filled and over spilling with toilet rolls!!!

@Rockchic6

Just had a message now from Tesco cancelling my delivery 😩

How on earth did that ever happen?

Oh sorry, that's @Rockchic7, not rockchic6! Duh!

I had a Tesco order booked for tomorrow. I've had it booked for a few weeks now.

Just gone in and it's vanished. No email, nothing.

This would be an ideal use of loyalty cards. Supermarkets would be able to tell whether people were buying more than their usual weekly shop. If everyone had one, they could make it compulsory to use it.
It’s the only way they’d really be able to apply fair and sensible limits.

At the moment They’re limiting what people can buy, but not stopping them from going straight back in to buy more stuff or stocking up again the following day.

The panic buyers have got to be running out of room by now?!A few days ago I saw someone open her car boot, which was filled and over spilling with toilet rolls!!!

I hope these people get a serious case of the shits for the rest of the year so they can make use of it.

Until we are locked down and people have to grow the fuck up about how they shop.

This would be an ideal use of loyalty cards.
No, it wouldn’t. Supermarkets like Lidl don’t do loyalty cards. They also don’t do home delivery. This situation is forcing those who would not normally use Asda etc to do so.

@LoveNursing I presume the the supermarkets are just being overloaded with orders and can't cope. Tried click and collect but went well into April and couldn't book. I
Visited a number of shops yesterday to try and get the basics in. Managed to get all my fruit and veg from a farm shop.

I've nothing against people having extra whats pissing me off is the people who are buying excessive amounts of particular items which is making other people panic buy. Food and other essentials need to be available for all and people need to think about the bigger picture. There will be vulnerable/elderly people in our communities who will be left with nothing.

until people feel safe and reassured this will continue unless the supermarkets start some form of rationing