Coronavirus virus fears causing panic buying

[hexagon789]

It's the first time I've been shopping since the "panic" started, so I wasn't sure quite what to expect.

Quite probably it would be worse now that when I last went to the shops, certainly seems to be getting that way

 

[alxndr]

Just back from my attempt at shopping. I was expecting there not to be much in the way of long life goods, but I wasn't expecting there to be a dearth of fresh meat. Tried both ALDI and ASDA and neither had any fresh chicken, only a handful of sausages and mince between them, a bit of gammon, and some expensive steaks. Manage to find a butternut squash to make curry out of instead, but even the vegetable aisles were looking sparser than usual. No eggs to be found either, and bread was all gone in ALDI.

Didn't bother with the pasta aisles as I have a bit at home anyway, although a friend in Glasgow sent me a photo of their pasta aisles where the stickers indicated that the next delivery was predicted to be between the 25th and 30th of the month.

There did seem to be plenty of canned beans and tomatoes though, which surprised me based on what I'd heard. Soap was nearly all gone apart from a couple of packs at the end of an aisle. I felt guilty taking a pack even though it's not a panic buy considering I'm nearly out at home.

 

[A Challenge]

Surprised about the meat aisle.

Well covered in that respect, thankfully

There's normally none left in local Sainsbury's after college lunchtime!

 

[nlogax]

The lack of staples that aren't bog roll or hand sanitizer is really concerning and definitely a new and even more unwelcome turn. Surely this isn't all a result of panic buying?

It's all now hugely worrying.

 

[Aictos]

That’s going to cause upset, and to be honest rightly so. Two tins of certain items is one days supply for my household. I’m not going to go back and forth to the shops on a daily basis, so unfortunately this means simply going out and in again, or going to another shop. People will grow tired of this sooner or later.

Where people are hoarding trolleys full of toilet paper, bottle water etc which is unreasonable I can understand stores restricting sales especially as it goes against common sense of think of others and not buy far more then you actually need but for instant pasta, tins etc it should be reasonable to raise it to 6 tins per person.

I'm in full support of rationing because people atm are only thinking of themselves and not those more in need such as those unable to get out to shop etc

 

[bramling]

The lack of staples that aren't bog roll or hand sanitizer is really concerning and definitely a new and even more unwelcome turn. Surely this isn't all a result of panic buying?

It's all now hugely worrying.

I think it is panic buying. Everyone I know who has been to a supermarket over the last four days has said the same, namely that it’s been completely manic. It seems a *lot* of people stocked up over the weekend. London in particular which is probably a function of more people for a given number of stores.

There’s now of course two issues affecting the superstores. Firstly there’s the initial panic buying, then there’s now a secondary issue of people not panic buying but finding their regular items have been panic-bought by others and therefore quite reasonably deciding they should stock up whilst they can.

 

[Howardh]

Aldi on the Fylde near Kirkham was very well stocked with meat, veg, milk, even rice and kitchen rolls! Limited to four items, a bloke had 12 cans of beer in three packs, but was only allowed one pack of four.

 

[hexagon789]

Surprised about the meat aisle.

I'd seen sausages and black pudding running low, but not so much fresh chicken and so on.

People seem to be bulk buying anything now, even if it's not long life

Aldi on the Fylde near Kirkham was very well stocked with meat, veg, milk, even rice and kitchen rolls! Limited to four items, a bloke had 12 cans of beer in three packs, but was only allowed one pack of four.

I think it depends a lot of the time on when you visit and when shops get their deliveries in

 

[Ianno87]

I think it is panic buying. Everyone I know who has been to a supermarket over the last four days has said the same, namely that it’s been completely manic. It seems a *lot* of people stocked up over the weekend. London in particular which is probably a function of more people for a given number of stores.

There’s now of course two issues affecting the superstores. Firstly there’s the initial panic buying, then there’s now a secondary issue of people not panic buying but finding their regular items have been panic-bought by others and therefore quite reasonably deciding they should stock up whilst they can.

There is presumably a dividing line between 'stocking up' and 'panic buying'.

Then there's 'stocking up, but lets get an extra one just in case' (triggered by seeing panic buying)

I suspect this weekend was a heck of a lot of people all stocking up at the same time in a sort-of mild, collective societal panic.

'Panic buying' in my book is filling your trolley with far more than you reasonably need in the immediate futute.

 

[Howardh]

There is presumably a dividing line between 'stocking up' and 'panic buying'.

Then there's 'stocking up, but lets get an extra one just in case' (triggered by seeing panic buying)

I suspect this weekend was a heck of a lot of people all stocking up at the same time in a sort-of mild, collective societal panic.

'Panic buying' in my book is filling your trolley with far more than you reasonably need in the immediate futute.

Well the immediate future appears to be 12 weeks. Or 7 days. Or 14 days. Or 4 months. Boris made it abundantly clear.

 

[SHD]

There’s now of course two issues affecting the superstores. Firstly there’s the initial panic buying, then there’s now a secondary issue of people not panic buying but finding their regular items have been panic-bought by others and therefore quite reasonably deciding they should stock up whilst they can.

You really should make your own chili. With a 1 kg box of red beans, a basket of onions, 2 kg of minced meat, 2 boxes of tinned tomatoes, (or ~1 kg of fresh ones), a bulb of garlic, red pepper, ~250 ml oil, fresh coriander and parsley - that’ll last for at least one week.

It will be much better than the tinned variety, and no restriction to two tins!

 

[Darandio]

You really should make your own chili. With a 1 kg box of red beans, a basket of onions, 2 kg of minced meat, 2 boxes of tinned tomatoes, (or ~1 kg of fresh ones), a bulb of garlic, red pepper, fresh coriander and parsley - that’ll last for at least one week.

Well that wouldn't be a very good Chilli, it's missing Chilli.

 

[SHD]

Well that wouldn't be a very good Chilli, it's missing Chilli.

Well... red pepper is chilli, is it not!?

 

[bramling]

Well the immediate future appears to be 12 weeks. Or 7 days. Or 14 days. Or 4 months. Boris made it abundantly clear.

I think we have to simply accept that the powers that be simply don’t have all the answers to this.

In all honesty I’d prefer them to be vague when they genuinely don’t have an answer than simply to pluck a figure out of thin air to make the question go away.

 

[Darandio]

Well... red pepper is chilli, is it not!?

Well I suppose it is depending on how people define it. Many wouldn't, but in America they often refer to a red pepper as meaning a hotter chilli pepper. I would say there should be some Chilli powder at least. But discussing the best way to make a Chilli would be getting way off topic!

 

[SHD]

Well I suppose it is depending on how people define it. Many wouldn't, but in America they often refer to a red pepper as meaning a hotter chilli pepper. I would say there should be some Chilli powder at least. But discussing the best way to make a Chilli would be getting way off topic!

off-topic certainly but most useful for bramling

 

[GB]

Red pepper to me automatically suggests Bell Pepper = zero heat.

 

[Baxenden Bank]

Well the immediate future appears to be 12 weeks. Or 7 days. Or 14 days. Or 4 months. Boris made it abundantly clear.

12 months according to the leaked Public Health England paper reported in The Guardian. Virus circulating well into 2021, with a dip over the summer but never actually going away.

 

[SHD]

Red pepper to me automatically suggests Bell Pepper = zero heat.

to me it is this one, available for 2€ at my oriental corner shop:

 

[Cowley]

Red pepper to me automatically suggests Bell Pepper = zero heat.

Yes it does me too. Looks like we got a bit lost in translation.

We’d probably best leave the chilli discussion there now unless someone wants to start an Emergency last thing in the cupboard meal thread..?

 

[krus_aragon]

We’d probably best leave the chilli discussion there now unless someone wants to start an Emergency last thing in the cupboard meal thread..?

Sounds like a good occasion to start re-watching old episodes of Ready Steady Cook...

 

[Tom B]

You can't blame the over-70s wanting to stock up on e.g. Paracetamol if they are dependant on it for pain relief and may be confined to their homes for months. Two boxes is only four days supply at maximum dose.

Not that I'm condoning it, but I can understand why it happens.

Those on such doses, though, are likely to be getting it on prescription when larger quantities can be obtained. Not to mention the availability of delivery services.

 

[Howardh]

Sounds like a good occasion to start re-watching old episodes of Ready Steady Cook...

What time's the Fanny Craddock show on?

 

[Spamcan81]

Those on such doses, though, are likely to be getting it on prescription when larger quantities can be obtained. Not to mention the availability of delivery services.

My local practice stopped prescribing paracetamol some considerable time ago.

 

[jon0844]

The Government certainly can - under current rules the self-isolation can be mandated by a health official if you are suspected of having the virus. Not sure what the penalties are for ignoring it though.

In this country? I suspect enforcement will be as pathetic as most other things. We have a police forced under extreme pressure on a good day, so they won't be getting involved in stuff like this beyond maybe a few high-profile examples to deter others.

 

[Busaholic]

Those on such doses, though, are likely to be getting it on prescription when larger quantities can be obtained. Not to mention the availability of delivery services.

I wouldn't have dreamed of asking for a prescription for my paracetamol requirements, both because they're normally available so cheaply and easily and because they'd cost the NHS so much more than I pay, but I may soon have to if I'm not to run out: even then, I'm not clear that the pharmacy could guarantee supply.

 

[John Griffiths]

Interested to see all the frozen vegan mince gone from my local Asda today, and the Quorn cabinet with very little left. Has the crisis turned people veg/gie/an? The decent vegan pizzas sold out, too, though the grim falafel ones and the rank own- brand hoummous ones still plentiful.People may be panicking but still have taste.

 

[Baxenden Bank]

In this country? I suspect enforcement will be as pathetic as most other things. We have a police forced under extreme pressure on a good day, so they won't be getting involved in stuff like this beyond maybe a few high-profile examples to deter others.

Ah, well, I didn't say it would work. More that it was a power available to the authorities.
Just as strict regulation was available over the finance sector in 2008 but Gordon (economic miracle) Brown went for light touch instead.
Foot and mouth back in 2001 had some strong restrictions, and with some high profile 'arrests' at the start to get the message through. Fortunately I can get to Tesco without crossing many public roads. If I sneak out now it has gone dark, wearing dark clothes....

 

[nidave]

the next thing to be short in supermarkets will be fresh food as the travel bans work their way through the supply chain - thats going to really cause people to take notice.

It might bring about a change to more seasonal fresh food in the long run though which is only a good thing for reducing food miles.

 

[RichT54]

the next thing to be short in supermarkets will be fresh food as the travel bans work their way through the supply chain - thats going to really cause people to take notice.

Not to mention the large amount of tinned goods that people are buying will encourage the canneries to increase the amount of fresh ingredients they need to acquire in order to increase production.