When will shelves start going bare?

[BrieAndChilli]

I don’t have loads of spare cash but have managed to build up a decent size amount but it’s mainly stuff we currently use alsthohgh have stocked up on some bits we don’t.
I need to stock up on things like UHT milk and stuff we don’t normally have in
When do you think these sorts of things are going to disappear from the shelves? Can it wait until next month after payday or do I need to prioritise this weekend before Tuesday when things may become more publicised?
Also I’ve convinced DH to buy a small cheat freezer as we currently have a 3 drawer on its last legs small freezer. This won’t be until pay day so will I still be able to stock it then with meat/frozen veg/butter etc??

Someone in my sports class said they were stocking up 6 months of food, and asked what I did

I said (flippantly):" I don't need to, I will just come and get your stuff. if we are in a situation where there is no food at available for months on end, I will bring my rifle and break your door down"

Ok, not a funny joke, but surely if this situation should arrise, the starving crowds will not just quietly starve, they will loot and steal (I would! I would not starve quietly whilst there are people with 6 months of muesli bars stashed in their house)

I did not tell her I have my own emergency supply, first rule of prepping is don't tell anyone! Right?!

Yep, @Babygrey7 , first rule of prepping.
Isn't it bloody ghastly that people who don't normally prep have to think about this shit?

Had a long chat with my husband last night about how likely we both think it is that the shit will hit the fan. He's more optimistic than me about the capacity of civil servants, DEFRA etc to avoid major issues but has agreed I can spend an extra wadge of cash this week (before the next debate/vote/shambles next week - I think if that goes against the government then it's likely more people are going to start thinking about stockpiling).

Bellinsurge, yes and no

I am not feeling worried as such, I always have extra supplies, it's part of how I was brought up.

My parents starved through the winter of 44/45 in Holland (look it up) as kids and remember this vividly, so they have always had serious amounts of rice, beans, coffee and whisky stashed away (the booze would be to trade or barter) and invested in high quality winter coats and boots.

My mum has already called me to tell me to stock up but she needen't worry as it is part of my DNA

Still, I think we will all be fine. I think people panic too easily when a bit of quiet preparation would go a long way

Plus when we are all frolicking with rainbow unicorns whilst Taking Back Control post Brexit I will have mastered 50 delicious ways with chick peas! Happy days 😊

Bloody hell @Babygrey7 , if your parents were in Holland at that time. I know about that - my parents ' generation too.
I agree that knowing you have a bit extra put to one side or have a buffer helps keep you calm.

I find the prepper info so interesting, so much so that I want to start doing it as a bit of a hobby even if Brexit doesn’t cause the chaos I’m worried about.

I need to speak to DP though but we’ve talked for a while about everyone having a bag made up for if we had to leave the house suddenly so I suppose this is just an extension of that?

I do agree that no deal is hopefully looking less likely. Theresa May is not doing all she can though to avoid no deal and that infuriates me.

We are having a January clear out so will be ear marking some space to stash some supplies.

Any advice for people who live in flats/are short on storage space but want to store food and the like?

Ideas for flats or anyone short on space is to think of dead space like under beds or on top of wardrobes. I've been stressing to just focus on three days of stuff so you aren't walked in with tins and loo paper.
Longer term if that's a route you want to follow, there are loads of different ideas requiring a bit of ingenuity but that's no bad thing.
Stuff on Preppers topic generally for ideas.

Walked in? I mean walled in.

With the high number of threads similar to this, I’m hoping that those who are paranoid enough about all this will have already bought so much shopping in advance, there should be plenty left for the rest of us if the shit hits the fan

behind sofa is generally good if yours is up against a wall. The backs are generally angled and so you can stack quite a bit without having to move the sofa at all.

With the high number of threads similar to this, I’m hoping that those who are paranoid enough about all this will have already bought so much shopping in advance, there should be plenty left for the rest of us if the shit hits the fan wink

Precisely the idea (or one of the ideas).

Or you could act responsibly and get stuff in for yourself.

Thanks that’s a good idea :)

I have some space in our boiler cupboard and under our bed downstairs so will start with those, well maybe I should fill up the kitchen cupboard before I start worrying about that 😅

@cloudtree , the state will provide unicorns to deliver cake to the front doors of true believers.

Er.....the problem is all the stockpiling will itself cause shortages well before March 29th, so all you “preppers” are creating a self fulfilling prophecy

I think you're mixing up stockpiling with panic buying. If everyone had started months back putting stuff away I think the supermarkets would have coped. Supplies build up over time with patience.

Assuming there is an issue with getting goods over the border, and no panic buying beforehand, shelves would only start being bare after about 1 April

No they won't. Companies have been asked to stock pile and prepare for no deal, and are keeping three months stock pile. The eu has asked all member states to ratify into law that current conditions continue until year end in case of no deal, the stock pile is to deal with any delays at customs, product will continue to come in, it may just take longer, so the government is attempting to make it seamless.

The shelves will only run empty if enough folks panic buy and that's unlikely given no deal is really very, very unlikely now. In the event of a deal or no brexit there will be no issue.

So if there was to be an issue and no deal, given the nine months grace period, and the three months stock pile, it would be over a year from now we started to see issues and that would be only if the wto terms were not put into law by year end.

Good job we have smooth running borders that will be totally unaffected by Brexit problems and nothing will get snarled up anywhere. Also good that governments across the E.U. have such a carefully mastered control over private businesses including their cash flow .... wait a minute

Here's a link to more crazy scaremongering by people who have absolutely no idea how food supply and distribution works
https://amp.businessinsider.com/brexit-uk-food-companies-increasingly-scared-about-no-deal-theresa-may-2019-1?twitterr_impression=true

@Bluntness - my understanding is that supermarkets are doing limited stockpiling as they don’t have warehouse space and it’s no help with fresh produce.

The supermarkets don't need to stock pile so much, it's their suppliers who do, and yes fresh produce will likely be an issue, but fresh produce isn't something any one can stock pile, that's not what this thread is about.

www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/nov/18/uk-running-out-of-food-warehouse-space-as-no-deal-brexit-fears-rise

If you have concerns about fresh food it's worth finding out what frozen stuff you and your kids like now rather than later.

I may have bought some long life orange juice too!

Tinned is a reasonable alternative to fresh if freezer space is at a premium. Take the time now to find tinned fruit and veg that suits.

@SilverDoe Is your boiler cupboard warm? Not sure how safe storing food in a warm cupboard would be. I don't know for certain but probably double check that. Maybe non perishable goods would be ok though.

A little bit here and there won’t harm the supermarket shelves this week. I am going to buy fresh milk (will open it and use a bit so that the bottle doesn’t explode) to freeze.

Stick up on as much frozen fruit and veg, cheese and perishable goods. Let’s hope that fuel gets priority so that the supermarkets can get their food delivered.