Panic-buying/stocking-up 'phases'

[RustyBear]

Talking to a friend who said the owner of their corner shop had identified distinct 'phases' in people's shopping over the last month or so, after which buying of that type of product returns to normal

1. The toilet roll panic buying
2. All kinds of cleaning products
3. Clearing the shelves of everything
4. (Current phase) Sweets, chocolate & biscuits

So what will come next?

Flour for baking appears in low supply. For food, baking for fun and to entertain children.

I know for the first couple of weeks the only things in our local shop were biscuits, cake, fizzy drinks and sweets. When I went last week all those shelves were empty and they had all the normal healthy food, has everyone got fed up with lockdown and started eating crap?

Tesco yesterday had decent stock of toilet roll and kitchen roll, plenty of bread and milk, depleted but some cleaning products, small amounts of pasta and eggs, absolutely no flour, handwash or paracetamol. So it looks like some of the panic buying has moved on.

Fortunately I didn't need any of those, the only thing they were missing from my list was crumpets but I think we'll survive!

I got all the bits I wanted on my shop, pasta and even Hand soap. Tesco delivery man told me they are getting plenty of stock in now. I think we have turned a corner, and I’m thankful as I haven’t been buying extra.