If you panic buy loo roll

I bought toilet tissue in bulk from Costco at the beginning of the pandemic and again for our second wave.
I have elderly parents that are in isolation due to various ailments so I get some shopping and give them TP and also an aunt with chronic COPD that I do the same for. Then for my home as well. It doesn't last long with all of us.

We always carry 4 packs of 18 even before BREXIT, SNOW, COVID, HOLIDAYS etc

My husband has cancer and some of his meds affect him
I have IBS
My son has Crohn's

I also clean the toilet and surrounding area with sheets of toilet paper and bleach spray, then flush.

On a lighter note think the loo roll fairy loves me, always purchase 12\18packs hate shopping. Earlier this year been dragged round supermarket by DH spotted 24pack on offer did not need but like a bargain couple of weeks later came shielding. Two weeks ago same supermarket same offer.

One of the symptoms of Covid in children is in fact an upset tummy. There was an article on the C19- by Zoe app which I found useful especially working in a school. Being told to catch and bin coughs and sneezes with tissue also has increased usage.

Cossy

PS I also have a bowel condition and we literally use tons in our house !

Snap!

Sallywally1

Can I ask why. I’m curious as Covid does not cause gastro problems and if people are sensible there is a plentiful supply for everyone. I’m not being judge pants, just curious.

For me, it's because I have a physical problem which means that I can go through a roll almost every day when it's bad and I never know when that's going to happen. So I need to have a reserve stock because if it is bad it also means that I can't get out to the shops to get some.

If your household, like ours, needs a big multi pack of loo rolls usually each week, (21 roll packs ) and the big packs have all gone from the supermarket aisles, if we're limited to only 2-3 packs of what's available, ie 2 or 4 roll packs, that results in not having enough to get through the week. What are we supposed to do then?
I think the media have a lot to answer for, they're whipping up panic and distress, and people react accordingly.
There's contradictory mutterings in our local press that on the one hand our area has a low rate of infection, and on the other hand the rate has increased so alarmingly that we're only a week or so away from being put into local lockdown. So of course people will go for the worse scenario as they don't want to be caught out. I have bought 1 big pack of loo roll, set aside and NOT to be used unless there's a lockdown, because I just don't know what to believe any more.

PS I also have a bowel condition and we literally use tons in our house !

When the Bodach’s dementia was kicking in, he always asked me to add toilet rolls to the online shopping, so I had plenty last time round, and managed to supply family as well!

We have an adult household of 6, we also have two disabled housebound Mums in different households for whom we shop Yes we always “over” buy as we are buying for three different households

Those of us with inflammatory bowel conditions use a LOT and dread running out. Nowadays I have some reusable wipes (and a nappy soaking pail) as back up.

Spangler

I've shopped at Sainsburys at the beginning of the week and Waitrose yesterday, both stores had the usual shelves of toilet rolls, glad to see there was a notice limiting the amount shoppers could purchase.

I wish the media would stop trying to crank up another wave of panic buying. Like others, I just keep my non perishables topped up by adding a packet/jar/tin of whatever from time to time to keep my supplies from running low.

Hardly ever use tinned tomatoes, make my own pasta sauce from our home grown ones. Great for lasagne, spag Bol etc.

Always surprised when others don’t know what to do with a glut of tomatoes. Our stock in the freezer will keep us going all winter.

If you are trying to keep supermarket shopping to a minimum it makes sense to stock up on essential items. It also makes sense to have a Brexit stockpile of tinned tomatoes, chick peas, pasta etc- all produced in Italy, which even if they are not in short supply will almost definitely increase in price. I’ve ordered some wine home deliveries from Aldi, ditto - it’s money saving as well as convenience. It will be used up so not wasted. I do donate to foodbank and Olio as well.
.

You’ve answered your own question though. When there is a shortage a herd mentality kicks in which makes people hoard.

It’s a mixture of self preservation (and the desire to provide for loved ones) and fear of the unknown. Having some sort of control can be helpful when nothing else is predictable- even if it’s just control over stocks of pasta or loo roll.

They seem to be at it again , One full isle of loo rolls space was empty there was only a few packs left.
The same with pasta, pasta sauces and tinned tomatoes most of it gone.

I do not want to get back to seeing empty shelves again we are not even in full lockdown .
What is wrong with people? panic buying which just results in herd mentality and a stampede to hoard.

Sallywally1 Thu 24-Sep-20 17:20:47
If you panic buy loo roll, can I ask why?

Doctor: "I'm afraid that you have tested positive for Covid19."

Patient: "That's not possible doctor, I've got 300 loo rolls."

I admit, I stocked up on loo roll first time around. I have a large household and saw the shelves in every store running out of loo rolls. It takes times to restock so I decided to get ahead and stock up so we wouldn't be the people who didn't and couldn't get any loo roll.

The reason it concerned me is that 1. I have vulnerable people at home. We had no idea how bad things would get the first time around and I was ready to not leave home for several weeks, if it came to that. 2. I have someone at home who has relevant medical issues.

I was glad I did stock up because there were quite a few weeks where I couldn't get any loo roll at all. It took a while for the stores to get restocked. As soon as they got any stock, it was gone. You had to be really lucky to be in the right place before the place was stripped in moments.

No apology from me for being well organised to meet my family needs. Then again, as I explained to everyone, it's a strange item for people to panic over. It's not that hard to find alternative ways to manage without loo paper.

Supermarkets only stock a minimal amount of loo roll as its high bulk and low profit.
The warehouses also only keep a small stock.
This is why people panicked.

I use an online company called “ who gives a crap “ great product and 50% of profit goes to charity.

We get ours from Costco in giant packs, and always have. We'd just bought some when the last lockdown started, so had no need to buy more (and didn't), but I must admit, the thought that something might get to be in short supply makes me want to stock up.

I wonder whether if the media didn't go on about what people were panic buying it wouldn't be so bad? It's like the 'don't think about an elephant' thing - as soon as you hear that, you can't help it, the first thing to come into your mind is an elephant.

To be fair, it would be pretty miserable to be ill, confined to the house, not allowed visitors and out of loo roll! I don't see the need to buy hundreds of them, but having a pack in stock doesn't seem unreasonable.

Similarly, pasta is cheap, quick to cook, easily digested and easy to store. If that runs out, a lot of families would be challenged, so it's natural to get some spare, just in case. All it takes is for everyone to buy one extra bag of pasta or pack of loo rolls and there is a shortage.

PamelaJ1 I felt exactly the same when I picked up a pack from my local Sainsburys yesterday. In fact I ended up trying to stuff them in the bottom of my bag so no one would see.... after I’d paid I might add!!

furret
Me too

OMG, we NEEDED loo rolls today.
I always buy a new pack when I take the last one from the old pack. I was almost frightened to pick up a pack of 9!
brandygran picking up one extra can be excused but some are filling their trollies.
They must have very dirty bottoms?

The first time round I bought extra loo rolls when I heard of the virus in China. My thinking was that as an older person I didn't want to be in a super market among a lot of other people. I've always looked ahead- some call it a negative trait but I call it realistic.