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21st Mar '20 by ambrosia

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Ambrosia

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29 comments

potter12

21st Mar '20

Someone who works in Waitrose south of London told me that for every day this week up to Friday, the problem was that the overnight team got the whole store stocked properly. Within minutes of opening in the morning a wave of shoppers stripped the shelves and staff had to man the frantic checkouts. There was plenty of stock in the shop warehouse, but it was probably not designed to move half a shop of groceries into the retail space within an hour or so of opening. Especially as the store was now full of another wave of enthusiastic shoppers. By Friday, the central distribution operation was having a bit of a problem loading lorries because of the volume. So for example there might be plenty of milk, but it missed the large artic lorry overnight operation and then arrived later in a van.

Some internet shoppers were just plain daft. Literally trying to place orders for deliveries of more than £2,000 including 100s of identical ready-meals, some orders of even greater value. I don't think those orders got satisfied!

Rusty2

21st Mar '20

Why don't they limited some items such as bread to 1 loaf each customer. Why don't they put out the stock gradually during the day, this will then probably reduce the numbers at opening time. I can't understand why people are still panic buying, once they have stocked up the freezer then it should be back to normal volume shopping?
If more people are ordering more online then that should reduce the demand at the supermarkets?

Effortless Cool

21st Mar '20

Apparently, people have been panic-buying freezers, to give them additional storage to enable them to continue panic-buying groceries.

Rusty2

21st Mar '20

Yes I can imagine. I should have bought a new one as well, been thinking about it for a while as mine is a bit too small really and it would save driving to the supermarket so often.

Gromley

21st Mar '20

I quipped the other day that we now know that the majority of the UK population keep their freezers virtually empty all of the time. But actually I can now believe that people have been panic buying freezers.

We realised this morning that my mother in law does not have a freezer, so looked online - a small one which is all she would need has gone up in price from £100 to £400!

Sis in law has now sorted it I think.

I find it hard to be critical of the stores to be honest, some of the customer behaviour has been shocking.

Even once limits have been applied there are several things going on that I have heard of :

Families going out en masse each with a separate trolley to buy multiples of the "ration".
Buying a trolley load at the limit, unloading it in the car and then going back around.
Staff at a nearby supermarket to me have suferered such abuse and threats of violence that they are afraid of enforcing the limits. (Although I do know that the tills have the capability to be programmed with the limits, so that is a bit of a negative to the organisation to not have done that)

Only putting part of the stock out and then restocking during the day would be a logistical nightmare for most stores. I often shop quite late at my local and having to navigate around the very many pallets in aisles ready for restocking is a challenge.

What has surprised me though has been the shortage of fresh goods I suspect a lot of that hoarded food will go to waste given relatively short expiry dates.

Things seem to be stabilising where I am so maybe the hoarders have just about filled their available capacity.

Interesting though that the Supermarkets are hiring some warehouse & distribution staff, they obviously expect the heightened demand to continue.

It is curious how this situation has brought out the worst and the best in people (In my village there are now a team of volunteers offering assistance to anyone self-isolating or vulnerable.

Perhaps it was always the same though; replying to a comment on "wartime spirit" I read today accounts of looting that was rife after each air-raid.

sh62@gmail.comG

21st Mar '20

I agree with others - in fact that image (without any words) was so powerful. Although it took my brain some time to think what the message was, when it hit, it hit hard ! The fact that it looked very much like my late mother added poignancy.

Geoff

xcity

21st Mar '20

Demand will actually be higher with many working from home, others no longer employed and cafes, restaurants and pubs being closed.
And the hoarding is probably in a cycle. First those always on the look out for a reason to hoard, then others concerned at empty shelves and media photos such as the above and so on until even herbie47 thinks he should have bought a bigger freezer.
There's no logic to it. Some of the early hoarders will have been out regularly to add to their hoard and so on. Lots of people buying stuff they don't really want because it was on the shelves, but then not wanting to use it because it's not something they like &etc. It will only ease when people see shelves full regularly again. And a lot of food will be wasted.

Rusty2

21st Mar '20

Yes I agree if they see full shelves then no need to buy loads. The problem is they see empty shelves, so when it does come in stock, they buy loads. My problem is I live far from the supermarkets and usually just go once every 2 weeks. I usually have some staples in stock because even normally they are not always in stock. What supermarkets need to do somehow is to overstock. My supermarket (Morrisons) does restock bread thoroughout the day, maybe because it bakes on site.

bryans1311

21st Mar '20

What’s making it worse, is the media constantly reminds us about the panic buying and empty shelves. It just reinforces this behaviour.

James RH

22nd Mar '20

The problem this panic buying has created is the judgemental distrust and suspicion between us, myself as guilty as any other.

I went to my local Asda the other day and as I was putting a few things in my basket, a lady commented to me on the empty shelves saying isn't it awful what people stockpiling are doing, just as she was putting the last two bottles of toilet cleaner in her trolley.

The immediate reaction in my head was that this lady was actually oblivious to the irony in what she was saying and doing, and her selfish actions in taking the last two, thus depriving someone else of a bottle, was indeed a part of the problem.

However fast-forward a few minutes and the same lady stood behind me at the checkout. Upon chatting to her again, it turns out she was buying for herself and a relative who was housebound, hence two bottles. Guilt then washed over me. Who am I to judge why she was buying them - was she hoarding and upon seeing them thought I'll have those, or did she and her relative genuinely need cleaner as they had run out and seeing the last two bottles, couldn't believe her luck?

The next time I went to Asda after this thought-provoking encounter, I could feel myself being judged by those around me with every item I put in my basket - does he actually need that; is he hoarding; why is he buying two? I dread to think of the eyes burning in the back of me when I genuinely need to buy some toilet roll.

Caper4

22nd Mar '20

I suppose most people are buying far more than usual because they want to limit the visits to supermarkets and exposure to the masses. Perfectly understandable if selfish and irresponsible. Must admit here in South Africa we have stocked up on tin goods and frozen bread and fresh fish as we worry about the rapid spread of the virus through staff at supermarkets here. Hence,we try to visit only once every few weeks

Mechanical Bull

22nd Mar '20

If the government is advising that you and your family should self-isolate for 2 weeks if you have any flu like symptoms, it is completely rational that you will start buying more than normal. You might not be going down to the shops for a while.

Rusty2

22nd Mar '20

The problem I'm having is I have to go more to the shops now because they have not got everything I want in stock such as bread. So instead of less exposure I'm actually getting more and having to drive further.
I usually go once a fortnight to the supermarket, now I may have to go weekly, we shall see the situation on Tuesday morning, I don't go on Mondays as it's the worst day for stock.

Why are toilet rolls in short supply are people using them to dry their hands and as tissues?

William K

22nd Mar '20

In summary, if you go to a supermarket every day just to buy what you need for the day, you are not guilty of 'stock piling' but you will increase overcrowding in the aisles, exposing yourself and others to an increased risk of infection, not to mention longer queues at the checkout, a full car park, blocked access roads, and other inconveniences.

If you go to the supermarket once a month, to buy a month's supply of food and essentials, you are guilty of stock piling, but you will reduce the supermarket footfall by 96.7% and lower the spread of infection as everyone will be able to keep a safe distance and there will be minimal queuing at the checkouts. Access to the supermarkets will be improved and the store staff will have time to keep the shelves replenished.

If you run out of loo paper, the alternatives like newspaper, kitchen roll and baby wipes will block the drains. If you ensure a good supply of loo paper, you will be universally condemned for selfishness and panic buying (mainly by those who are blocking the drains with alternatives).

There are no winners in the above scenarios. The only certainty is that anyone visiting a supermarket is morally suspect. Maybe the best solution is to wear dark glasses when you next go out for groceries and hope no one recognises you.

Rusty2

22nd Mar '20

But is it not better to do one supermarket shop than going to numerous local shops to try to buy everything you want?

I would have thought 1 big shop was better. Assuming their have the stock you want. Small shops also don't have distancing but some now limited number of customers to only 2 at a time.

William K

22nd Mar '20

Yes herbie47 I agree. One big shopping expedition is better for society than 30 small shopping expeditions. But unfortunately the little old lady staring at an empty row of shelves might not see it that way. There seems to be an irresolvable conflict between heuristics and utilitarianism (rather like many of stock trading habits).

Matchstick

23rd Mar '20

Keep potatoes and microwave; add a filling from a can (Tuna, stew etc).

Make soup out of any veg you can: microwave chopped up veges in water and vegetable stock, then liquidise and add seasoning - delicious soup in little time - especially good if you have veges that are nearly going to waste, even frozen.

Use lentils - rich in protein - boil them and add to a soup made as above - this will thicken the soup as well as making more nutritious.

Have an egg with some canned fish (it is good, esp with tinned salmon) and will keep you going for a while.

Have a peanut butter and jam sandwich - nutritious and energy giving

There you are - some simple ideas - not to everyone's taste but hey in times like these!

Rusty2

23rd Mar '20

I see Tesco’s have raise prices on 600 items, seems to an attempt to stop hoarding.

Peanut butter good idea.

ezlifeme

23rd Mar '20

Re larder eating - Fear no More Jamie has a new series starting this evening "Keep Cooking and Carry on" - How to eat from your store cupboard!

Rusty2

23rd Mar '20

Nothing left in the store. Hope I can restock tomorrow.

Might start making my own bread if I can flour and yeast. If not it’s potatoes and peanut butter for lunch, yummy.

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Ambrosia

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