Panic Buying

A month or so ago a local woman was trying to sell her left over toilet roll stock £8 for 2 rolls. She was amazed that she had no takers - there might be some mugs willing to pay that now. Australia was apparently short of loo rolls as they have to import them. Their shortage started the panic here despite the U.K. having our own facilities.

In defense of those appearing to 'panic buy'... fewer deliveries and fewer visits to the shops is surely a positive thing? If we all shopped that way all the time (I live in a flat with limited storage space, so understand it's not easy) there wouldn't be a shortage. I bought loo rolls in bulk as I had use of a car in December 2019 and restocked, in bulk, in July this year. We try not to go out to places like shops. Bulk buying isn't always panic buying or a bad thing.

Sites such as Groupon offer delivery of bulk toilet rolls. There is (with Groupon) a £1.99 delivery charge.
However, because the loo rolls are very cheap compared to supermarkets, even with the delivery charge, it can work out to be a better buy.... no struggling home with a bulky purchase either.
Just an idea...

I've been trying to log into Tesco this afternoon to add a few items to tomorrow's delivery.

No such luck!

Much of the press reporting is (deliberately?) misleading.

The Mail on Sunday has several pictures today illustrating people wheeling trolleys out of Costco with huge packs of loo paper

No where is it mentioned, that Costco only sell loo paper in those great big 20 roll packs and that many of their customers are the owners of corner shops, who are just buying their usual stock.

Mick I quite agree and couldn`t understand why we didn`t have a coalition back then... still time? or not!

Just got home from working in the Supermarket all day Asd

Yes was a little busy, but wouldn't say people panic buying, there were people buying toilet rolls (even as shop worker I still cant get my head around this)

Apparently it was busier yesterday, but then people do shop early for Christmas buying Christmas goods in.

But no queues at all. Just a bit busier Sunday thats all.

I'll just carry on as usual with my deliveries from various shops (Iceland, Sainsburys, Cook, Waitrose etc.) as I can't believe there will ever be serious shortages.

Yes, loo roll from Groupon is very convenient, and just bulk, rather than panic, buying. It's cheaper (per roll) if you can afford the initial outlay.

I'm pathetically pleased to now be in a Waitrose Rapid area. If I want to spoil myself, they deliver (up to 20 items) in just a couple of hours - by scooter, all in paper bags!

The supermarkets surely have learned something from last time and will be ordering in more of everything.But really they should not let people buy so much of each item! 4 packs of 24 loo rolls for one old guy seems excessive there might be a whole family who cant buy any due to stores not limiting to one 24 pack each i guess stores dont mind so long as they sell them.

I went to my local Tesco today - went down the household items aisle and there was a lot of toilet rolls on the shelves. Plenty of milk and bread too. Perhaps the weather had put people off coming out shopping. Hopefully those that crammed their trolleys full of toilet rolls etc have learnt their lesson.

Nannan2

The supermarkets surely have learned something from last time and will be ordering in more of everything.But really they should not let people buy so much of each item! 4 packs of 24 loo rolls for one old guy seems excessive there might be a whole family who cant buy any due to stores not limiting to one 24 pack each i guess stores dont mind so long as they sell them.

Maybe he’s buying for shielding friends? Family?

I remember many seniors buying flour during special seniors hours for their younger family members

Aware that there probably would be another lockdown, I planned, not panic bought. I bought an extra freezer. Waitrose delivered the order I started planning with them three weeks ago. We will only need to buy milk, fresh vegetables and newspapers and we should have enough of everything for six weeks. I will try to organize another delivery for mid-December. There is not vast amounts of anything just the right sort of amount to keep two people healthy and well fed and clean for at least six weeks. We have found an excellent Italian Merlot in 5 ltr boxes and only 11% alcohol that we buy from Germany at a really good price and if you buy four boxes there is no postage cost to pay. We buy loo rolls, kitchen rolls and tissues online. So planned buying rather than panic buying makes the best use of our resources.

I just don’t understand why people don’t keep a well-stocked store cupboard of essentials.
Where do these selfish people store all these packs of toilet rolls, rice, pasta?

We have done the same Kwest, not panic buying, just a steady upkeep of a good larder, a spare soap powder, toothpaste, etc. I consider it sensible precautions as I saw this coming and do not wish to be in a crowded supermarket. This has also been done as pre-brexit preparation, just a little bit extra every week, nothing greedy, not depriving anyone else. I get my fruit and veg from an excellent local supplier, bake my own bread and cakes and don't eat meat so we are able to live from our larder quite well. I realise that not everyone is able to buy an extra pack of coffee every now and then for their stock cupboard, so before anyone accuses me of complacency or selfishness, we also have our food bank box which gets a few items of my weekly shop and then gets dropped off.

Tesco's website has been down in some areas today.

I have been collecting extra a bit by bit over the last few months so I now have enough food and cleaning stuff for about 5 weeks. I have to shield but for the life of me I can't get a delivery for either Waitrose or Sainsbury, despite having to shield, so its a good job I am stocked up. I now my extras and I am also pretty stocked up for Christmas. I have always bought toilet rolls in bulk online so not a problem.

Mawb2; I collect greyhounds- that picture looks like my house!!!

I'm disgusted that the panic buying has already started and they are showing pictures of people with trolleys full of toilet rolls. It's totally selfish. At the start of lockdown the shelves were bare and it took me 5 weeks to get a delivery slot for groceries. It meant I finally ate the tins that were 18 month + out of date that I kept putting back. The milkman was also a Godsend as although I don't really like milk I could get basics from him so have continued to support with a few things each week. I live alone so the weekly shop I normally do doesn't include a lot but couldn't even get that
at the start. I had heard that supermarkets were going to limit things this time but it appears they haven't so I blame them too. Who knows if I'll get a delivery slot now.

Went to Tesco at 3.30pm today, no shortage of anything including loo rolls.

i struggled to get delivery slots during the last lock down but did eventually manage to get click and collect slots by logging in to Tesco at midnight when they release the next day's quotes - three weeks ahead! I continued with click and collect as I have significant mobility problems so food shopping has become very difficult.

I discovered that the Tesco delivery saver pass gives access to an extra week ie able to book four weeks ahead. It costs £8 a month but if you don't spend £8 odd orders, they give you a refund in vouchers - win win ! I now have four weekly slots booked through November which gives me peace of mind. I won't be buying more than my usual shop and will plan some flexibility in case some items are out of stock.

Aepgirl

I just don’t understand why people don’t keep a well-stocked store cupboard of essentials.
Where do these selfish people store all these packs of toilet rolls, rice, pasta?

A lot couldn’t afford to. So many live week to week.

More still just had no room to keep it.

I would bet that most of the panic buyers were actually people just trying to get stock in for two weeks. In today’s convenience world, the store is always open, so it’s always been easy to just run out for something.

I can't believe the supermarkets are allowing panic buying of loo rolls. They can stop it quite easily because our nearest Asda did put limits on. Let's hope we don't run out of flour again.

There is a poem ' The Ballard of the Dunny Roll' on youtube which made us both laugh in the previous lock down.

Supermarkets, really do not have much chance. Most of them put limits on how many items you can buy of popular items, but how many customers choose to shop is beyond their control and 50 extra customers, all buying one extra bag of pasta and rice, soon empty the shelves.

My Tesco delivery was interesting this morning to say the least.

I normally go down my 'favourites' in a bish bash bosh kind of way then fine tune it the day before the order is due.

Only Tesco's website crashed yesterday so no chance.

Add in a bit of shaky finger and Peggy will not need mini gravy bone biscuits until well into next year as she is now the proud owner of 11 boxes!

If there's a national shortage you know who's to blame.

Oh for goodness' sake! Don't people listen/read the press? Essential shops (ie food outlets) will remain open. Shops selling inessential goods will close for the four weeks. There is no need to panic either for delivery slots or for toilet rolls. If you have withdrawal symptoms because of the temporary closure of John Lewis or other favourite stores, most of them now sell on line.