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Are other countries panic buying?

28 replies

AnotherMurkyDay · 22/03/2020 14:11

Here in the UK it feels like panic buying is creating a whole second disaster. Are other countries having the same issue? I understand psychologically why people tend to panic buy in these situations, but are we worse than elsewhere in the world?

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islandislandisland · 22/03/2020 14:34

My sister told me it was the same in Madrid until lockdown. Which can't come soon enough if it means those of us who haven't panic bought can actually purchase and eat some food!

TheCanterburyWhales · 22/03/2020 14:39

In Italy. Not now, at least not where I am, but just prior to lockdown yes.
Now food shops of any kind can open for as long as they like.

AnotherMurkyDay · 22/03/2020 14:59

Maybe lockdown could actually be beneficial then?

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BillieEilish · 22/03/2020 15:05

In Spain, maybe one day, (I didn't witness this though) now it's normal. No home deliveries though.

Biscoffer · 22/03/2020 15:16

Americans are panic buying. Loo roll and guns apparently.

www.usatoday.com/story/money/2020/03/16/coronavirus-people-line-up-gun-stores-stock-up/5054436002/

FloconDeNeige · 22/03/2020 15:18

Yes, of course. I’m in Switzerland on the border with France. Same in both countries. Shelves emptied, limits placed on quantities and special opening times for the elderly. Why would other places be any different? There are selfish fuckers everywhere.

nachthexe · 22/03/2020 15:19

Yes. Canada.

FloconDeNeige · 22/03/2020 15:21

That said, it’s calmed down a bit here since the police started enforcing confinement. I don’t know what it’s like in France since lockdown as the border is now closed and I can’t get to Carrefour any longer.

LadyTiredWinterBottom2 · 22/03/2020 15:24

Yes in Italy & Netherlands.

WaterIsWide · 22/03/2020 15:25

Yes, in New Zealand they are. They are limited to two of any grocery item. There are queues outside the supermarkets waiting for them to open.

All the New Zealand supermarkets have asked people to shop normally. So has the New Zealand Prime Minister. But, just like Britain, people are taking no notice.

middleager · 22/03/2020 15:26

My friend in Spain is shocked by the Uk, along with the revellers in parks in London.

Every day I hope for lockdown.

LisaSimpsonsbff · 22/03/2020 15:28

Yes in Belgium. I think a lot of the 'oh, everywhere else is being so much better about this, Brits are uniquely terrible' people are, somewhat ironically, betraying their own lack of knowledge on what is actually going on elsewhere and making a lot of assumptions

OlafLovesAnna · 22/03/2020 15:31

It's pretty calm in Portugal. Orderly queues to get into supermarkets so that there aren't too many people inside at once.

No shortages or lack of products so far. I nipped into a small supermarket this morning and was straight in bar a moment for the security guard to squirt my hands with gel and give me a pair of gloves to wear in store.

All have been calm here with people taking precautions and observing social distancing.

trappedsincesundaymorn · 22/03/2020 15:33

My DSis is in Australia and she said it's "batshit crazy" over there.

PicsInRed · 22/03/2020 15:35

The supermarkets in NZ are bananas.
Loads of items selling out.

People can see what's happening here, see the inadequate action by their own govt, and they're very frightened. Moreso than us, funnily enough.

BillieEilish · 22/03/2020 15:35

It is really fine in Spain apart from the one day they announced lockdown (understandably) now, as I say, it's normal.

AnotherMurkyDay · 22/03/2020 15:36

Yes I thought we were probably not uniquely selfish and anxious as a country. Obviously it's easy to get a biased view from localised news and experiences.

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HoldMyLobster · 22/03/2020 15:43

I can't speak for the rest of the US, but our supermarkets are mostly well stocked other than pasta, loo roll, etc.

They have fish, meat, veg, bread. Not crowded at 5.30pm yesterday.

Americans are panic buying. Loo roll and guns apparently.

The update to that story is that there is hardly any ammo left to buy - result?!

catmack16 · 22/03/2020 15:53

No sign of panic buying in my part of Belgium. Supermarkets and other food shops all have plenty of stock and sensible measures to ensure shoppers enter in appropriate numbers and take precautions i.e no baskets, only trolleys, pay by card not cash, fish and meat counters not open etc.

DramaAlpaca · 22/03/2020 15:55

In my part of Ireland it was OK until the day it was announced that schools were closing. That afternoon it was like a swarm of locusts had descended on our local supermarkets, the shelves were almost stripped bare.

Two days later, they had mostly been restocked, but there was a shortage of imported frozen food. A couple of days after that, normal service had pretty much resumed.

The one thing I'm struggling to find is flour, as everyone seems to have had the idea that they'll bake their own bread. Pasta, rice and loo rolls were hard to find for a while, but are available again now. You can't get hand sanitiser at all. According to the local pharmacist, the wholesaler has increased the price so much they've decided not to stock it, as soap does the job just as well.

The major difference in shops now is social distance rules are being applied, strips of tape have been stuck to the floor to show where customers should stand while queuing, some stores are limiting the number of customers allowed in at a time, and sneeze screens are being erected between customers and staff.

At pharmacies it's one at a time in the shop and if you are collecting a prescription you are asked to pay over the phone and a member of staff brings your meds out to your car.

NonUrinatInVentum · 22/03/2020 15:56

I'm on the border between France and Switzerland too. The day before lockdown but nothing since. It's calm and the shelves are fully stocked.

Branleuse · 22/03/2020 15:57

french family have said panic buying is definitely happening in france, but im not sure if its to the same extent

PlywoodPlank · 22/03/2020 16:01

Not where I am in Italy. Been remarkably calm and sensible.

MyOtherProfile · 22/03/2020 16:04

Americans are panic buying. Loo roll and guns apparently.
Damn, knew I forgot something at Tesco

Friends in other countries were all posting photos of empty shelves in supermarkets a week or two ago - that was France, Italy, Austria, Belgium and Spain. All said it settled once they locked down and no shortages now.

snowqu33n · 22/03/2020 16:05

No panic buying of groceries happening where I am in Japan. Schools closed, l am WFH. Brief shortage of toilet paper, now back in stock. Masks and gel are hard to come by.

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