Forum search & shortcuts

Panic buying becaus...
 

[Closed] Panic buying because of Coronavirus - genuine question

Posts: 17843
 

Went to pick up a prescription today. Sign up in the pharmacy saying they were selling hand sanitiser.

At five quid a bottle.

How much were they selling bar soap for, out of interest Cougar?


 
Posted : 02/04/2020 6:18 pm
Posts: 12888
Free Member
 

@cougar Report to trading standards? They are having a word with shop owners doing this (at least they are here!)


 
Posted : 02/04/2020 6:19 pm
Posts: 26912
Full Member
 

I have 10kg of chapati flour! I usually buy a 5kg sack but they didnt have anything else.

Had Moroccan style meatballs with nan bread last night!! Tonight I'm trying it in suet crust pastry with a beef and veg pie. Its like a shit version of ready steady cook!


 
Posted : 02/04/2020 6:26 pm
Posts: 78690
Full Member
 

How much were they selling bar soap for, out of interest Cougar?

I didn't notice, TBH. I was trying not to hang about.

Report to trading standards?

Yeah, isn't it illegal? I'm sure I heard something about that a little while ago.


 
Posted : 02/04/2020 6:46 pm
Posts: 7751
Free Member
 

Selling price of cougar's hand sanitiser should be seen in context of retailer's buying price to assess potential profiteering.


 
Posted : 02/04/2020 6:49 pm
 Yak
Posts: 6941
Full Member
 

+1 for your local butcher. Ours didn't miss a beat and was straight onto delivery once lock-down started. No faff - just email the order and it comes the next day. Min £40 though so I have been batch-cooking a bit.


 
Posted : 02/04/2020 6:54 pm
Posts: 4418
Full Member
 

anagallis_arvensis
Member

I have 10kg of chapati flour! I usually buy a 5kg sack but they didnt have anything else.

Shudders at the memory of adapting our palletisers to stack 10kg bags, was it one of those with a bright design and a glossy surface 😮
Getting them to stay put on a 1 Tonne pallet load was a nightmare, 32kg in a nice chimney 4 stack or 16kg in the alternating stack pattern at a push


 
Posted : 02/04/2020 6:55 pm
Posts: 12888
Free Member
 

Selling price of cougar’s hand sanitiser should be seen in context of retailer’s buying price to assess potential profiteering.
don’t be soft. Every manufacturer who can make it, is making as much as they possibly can. Lots are giving it away (breweries etc). The wholesale price will not be affected. The only reason for increasing prices is the scarcity/demand. It is clearly profiteering.


 
Posted : 02/04/2020 6:58 pm
Posts: 8469
Full Member
 

Ocado delivery last Sunday - 3 substitutions, all sensible.

Local farm shop delivered veg last week whilst in isolation, and local butcher just delivered (ordered last night) a lamb joint and beef pie.

Got a farm shop delivery for my isolated mum up in Norfolk, also managed to sign up for tesco on her behalf & book a slot for 22 Apr.

We are getting there and it’s possible with legwork.


 
Posted : 02/04/2020 7:09 pm
Posts: 26912
Full Member
 

was it one of those with a bright design and a glossy surface

Paper sack, pie was great!


 
Posted : 02/04/2020 7:13 pm
Posts: 1256
Free Member
 

My local butcher has everything a meathead could ever want.

The local baker is selling 1kg bags of flour for those who want to make their own. Or you can buy the stuff ready baked.

Tesco and Asda locally have problems filling shelves; it shows the limited imagination of local shoppers


 
Posted : 03/04/2020 8:45 am
Posts: 39767
Free Member
 

don’t be soft. Every manufacturer who can make it, is making as much as they possibly can. Lots are giving it away (breweries etc). The wholesale price will not be affected. The only reason for increasing prices is the scarcity/demand. It is clearly profiteering.

Usual amount produced is 300000l

If everyone wanted 500ml. You need millions.

Yes everyone's making it , brewery's are garnering publicity , many round me are crowd funding to produce it.

Then giving it away to those who need it most.
.because they are decent human beings.

The whole sales who are selling it are at the mercy of market forces and highest bidder wins. ..that means that the price goes up to the consumer.

See Frances face masks that were sold from under their noses to the USA for an example of market forces and being a dick


 
Posted : 03/04/2020 9:07 am
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

According to government website you need to self isolate for two weeks if you have it or your family member has it https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/self-isolation-advice/.

We also know food deliveries are completely clogged up.

With these two facts in mind, why you wouldn't have a two weeks supply of food to cover the time you are self-isolating is beyond me.

I've never had a doubt in the system being able to generate food for everyone, its the delivering it to you house that I knew would also be the issue.


 
Posted : 03/04/2020 9:29 am
Posts: 0
Full Member
 

According to government website you need to self isolate for two weeks if you have it or your family member has it https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/self-isolation-advice/.
We also know food deliveries are completely clogged up.

With these two facts in mind, why you wouldn’t have a two weeks supply of food to cover the time you are self-isolating is beyond me.

I’ve never had a doubt in the system being able to generate food for everyone, its the delivering it to you house that I knew would also be they issue.

Isolation length depends on if you’ve had it, or someone in your household has had it (or had symptoms) as per your link. Therefore, you don’t need 2 weeks of food as the person who had symptoms first should be able to go out after 7 days as long as they don’t have a temperature.

The reason there is a food crisis is because lots of people have suddenly stockpiled stuff just as you are suggesting. That has caused the system to break down and has left the old and vulnerable in a really poor position as they are struggling to get food. If you (or someone in your immediate household) are not over 70 or in the extremely vulnerable category then you should be using the shops (not daily obviously, but say about weekly) rather than using vital and overloaded delivery services and stockpiling items that those in a less fortunate position cannot now get. If you subsequently get isolated it’s not difficult to get friends or family to shop for you or get local firms to deliver (you are now in the needy category so delivery is fair enough).

Stockpiling and selfish, unnecessary use of supermarket delivery services are the cause of the problem.


 
Posted : 03/04/2020 10:40 am
Posts: 20914
Free Member
Topic starter
 

selfish, unnecessary use of supermarket delivery services

Does that include those that have always used home delivery? I am conflicted about it as we have always booked in our normal slots in good time - should I cancel the upcoming bookings I have? I would do it if I was confident they would go to someone that needs them, but they could equally go to someone that has no real need of them. (We shop at Tesco and they haven't restricted slots to those in need like Sainsbury's have done).


 
Posted : 03/04/2020 12:07 pm
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

@ginkster

Isolation length depends on if you’ve had it, or someone in your household has had it (or had symptoms) as per your link. Therefore, you don’t need 2 weeks of food as the person who had symptoms first should be able to go out after 7 days as long as they don’t have a temperature.

This in my opinion a risky move, to ensure keyworkers get back to work asap. Covid has an unpredictable nastiness to it.

The reason there is a food crisis is because lots of people have suddenly stockpiled stuff just as you are suggesting.

The posts from other people above suggest there is not a food availability crisis. The food crisis is the one that may come as suggested by STWs official information outlet: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/mar/20/farmers-call-for-land-army-to-sustain-uk-food-production-during-coronavirus-crisis
Another interesting take on the food situation: https://www.theguardian.com/news/2020/apr/03/off-our-trolleys-what-stockpiling-in-the-coronavirus-crisis-reveals-about-us

That has caused the system to break down and has left the old and vulnerable in a really poor position as they are struggling to get food. If you (or someone in your immediate household) are not over 70 or in the extremely vulnerable category then you should be using the shops (not daily obviously, but say about weekly) rather than using vital and overloaded delivery services and stockpiling items that those in a less fortunate position cannot now get.

The old and vulnerable were told to isolate before the food panic. Other than that I completely agree, if you are not in a vulnerable position, do not use the delivery service. I also agree with your point, shopping should be done weekly and not daily, to avoid more spreading.

My assumption is that me or my partner(healthcare) will probably get Covid, therefore I have two opotions, first I buy enough food for two weeks-since I consider the governments approach risky, or second I risk not having enough food during self-isolation and depend on the food delivery system. Seeing that the food delivery service is overwhelmed to a far greater extent than stocking of food, I chose the first.

I am not trying to mitigate a global food industry crisis, since in that scenario we are truly doomed. I am trying to mitigate the unfortunate shortcomings of food delivery services.


 
Posted : 03/04/2020 1:36 pm
Posts: 9010
Free Member
 

OH came back from shopping trip with 3 x Easter eggs 2 x lindt bunnies for the 2 of us, and some tiny little choc bunnies for the 2 boys (3 + 1). All going cheap. BUY! BUY! BUY!


 
Posted : 14/04/2020 11:30 pm
Posts: 16383
Free Member
 

Easter eggs were still full price here. They did have loo roll though.


 
Posted : 14/04/2020 11:35 pm
Posts: 7121
Free Member
 

Murica..


 
Posted : 14/04/2020 11:49 pm
 Drac
Posts: 50661
 

25p for Easter eggs yesterday at Morrison’s.

Has Kerley been back for any more stock yet do we know? 😂

According to government website you need to self isolate for two weeks if you have it

7 from the onset of symptoms.


 
Posted : 14/04/2020 11:50 pm
Posts: 23346
Free Member
 

Did anyone actually run out of bog roll?


 
Posted : 14/04/2020 11:55 pm
Posts: 8469
Full Member
 

My mum had 2 rolls left last week, but she lives alone & is rationing herself 😳


 
Posted : 15/04/2020 12:11 am
Posts: 8469
Full Member
 

My mum had 2 rolls left last week, but she lives alone & is rationing herself 😳


 
Posted : 15/04/2020 12:11 am
Posts: 8469
Full Member
 

My mum had 2 rolls left last week, but she lives alone & is rationing herself 😳


 
Posted : 15/04/2020 12:12 am
Posts: 16537
Full Member
 

^^ I think you followed through mate.


 
Posted : 15/04/2020 12:18 am
Posts: 3631
Free Member
 

The above made me chuckle.

We didn't run out of bog roll but were down to my emergency roll, I keep behind one of the plastic flaps In the back of the work van. I assume a better spec vehicle would have a first aid kit and warning triangle there.


 
Posted : 15/04/2020 12:26 am
Posts: 1144
Full Member
 

⬆ That video up there of queue outside the American supermarket.

Why not just collect the trolley on your way in?


 
Posted : 15/04/2020 8:53 am
Posts: 91181
Free Member
 

should I cancel the upcoming bookings I have? I would do it if I was confident they would go to someone that needs them, but they could equally go to someone that has no real need of them.

If you keep it, they are definitely going to someone who does not need them. If you give it up, it might go to someone who really needs it.


 
Posted : 15/04/2020 9:36 am
Posts: 357
Free Member
 

Why not just collect the trolley on your way in?
Helps with the social distancing. Over here in Germany you are not allowed in a supermarket without a trolley-


 
Posted : 15/04/2020 9:52 am
 Drac
Posts: 50661
 

Helps with the social distancing. Over here in Germany you are not allowed in a supermarket without a trolley-

In the U.K. most supermarkets have markers outside to stand at the shop floors in some are sectional you can’t enter a section until others have cleared. I was stood yesterday behind someone with a trolly. I had stand one section further as the trolly plus them pushed them too close to me.


 
Posted : 15/04/2020 10:01 am
Posts: 8469
Full Member
 

Ha! Glad I raised a chuckle.

Thankfully I’ve opened a Tesco online account on behalf of my mum (70+, living on her own in Norfolk) so I’m arranging fortnightly deliveries for her now. Hopefully supermarket stocks are getting better, so she should get most of it.


 
Posted : 15/04/2020 1:04 pm
Posts: 2374
Full Member
 

It seems flour is the new bog roll, trouble is it makes a right mess but I've got a steady supply of brownies.


 
Posted : 15/04/2020 3:44 pm
Posts: 20914
Free Member
Topic starter
 

It seems flour is the new bog roll, trouble is it makes a right mess but I’ve got a steady supply of brownies.

At least you have plenty of toilet paper to clean up with then....


 
Posted : 15/04/2020 3:56 pm
Posts: 17843
 

Not a 'poor me' post but just wanting to point out that some of us who don't fall into the category of 'vulnerable' but nevertheless have cr*p health are struggling with getting our shopping.

By sheer fluke I bagged a 'click and collect' slot several weeks ago but now there are none to be found. I went to a supermarket for a basket shop and queued for an age to get in, all in all it took me nearly 2 hours which left me wiped out for the rest of the day.

Just a polite request that those who are physically able to get to a supermarket should consider doing so. I need to minimise my time outside due to Lyme disease with an impaired immune system plus overwhelming fatigue. Now having to make visits to different non-supermarket type shops which isn't ideal but is less physically taxing.


 
Posted : 16/04/2020 12:00 pm
Posts: 7206
Full Member
 

Not sure if it's an option for you CG, but we've found going to the shops when it's kids lunch or dinner time is much quieter.


 
Posted : 16/04/2020 1:40 pm
Posts: 17843
 

Thank you @jimdubleyou for those suggestions. I'm just concerned about how 'slow moving' it would be in the supermarket and whether there's enforced distancing. Lunch time could work but definitely not dinner time as by then am simply too tired.

Just back from local-ish greengrocer who also sell both fresh and frozen food plus household stuff. I can cope with shopping there, you have to wait to be allowed in but it was quick. Obviously you don't get the selection of a supermarket but am trying to adapt. I could ask my daughter but she lives an hour away and is still working.


 
Posted : 16/04/2020 3:44 pm
Posts: 13547
Full Member
 

Certainly round here, the supermarkets are fine if you pick your times well. 9am and you’ll be queuing to get in, 8pm and you won’t be.
There’s also loads of stock, bar yeast and flour, so no issues there.
In truth, it’s all very civilised from what I can see, I’d be happy if it stays like this.


 
Posted : 16/04/2020 3:49 pm
Posts: 21038
 

Man regrets hoarding...


 
Posted : 16/04/2020 6:16 pm
Page 11 / 11