Cycling UK Forum

I tried to buy some bread this morning, sold out, likewise a lot of stuff in tins and jars, shelves were quite empty
I did notice there were ample supplies of alcoholic drinks

Tried again at another store for wholemeal wraps (sold out Saturday), I took the last five, was that fair? I live some way from the only store I know that has these, I usually buy several packs, they keep many weeks
Plusminus, tootled to the store on my fixie

I am concerned that people buy too much, including perishables, and then throw food away

Got enough porridge oats in stock, I prefer not to hoard even dry goods, I try to have just enough in stock. I do buy several packs of goods that are on offer, especially cheap, lentils for example

Other experiences, observations, stories, memories?

Cyril Haearn wrote:I tried to buy some bread this morning, sold out, likewise a lot of stuff in tins and jars, shelves were quite empty
I did notice there were ample supplies of alcoholic drinks

Tried again at another store for wholemeal wraps (sold out Saturday), I took the last five, was that fair? I live some way from the only store I know that has these, I usually buy several packs, they keep many weeks
Plusminus, tootled to the store on my fixie

I am concerned that people buy too much, including perishables, and then throw food away

Got enough porridge oats in stock, I prefer not to hoard even dry goods, I try to have just enough in stock. I do buy several packs of goods that are on offer, especially cheap, lentils for example

Other experiences, observations, stories, memories?

the only good thing about Streatham Lidl it has its own bakery so that cant be hoarded. no procesed bread items The fresh raw meat fridges were again empty bar some bacon. I was told they had been full at 8am when they open. I will have to go down there then at that time to see if thats true. There were a few eggs and tins

Popped into Tescos for milk. Shelves seemed well stocked, no apparent shortages. Is this hoarding limited to cities and big towns. No evidence down here in rural somerset, plenty to go around for everyone, no signs of panic buying.

Cyril Haearn wrote:I am concerned that people buy too much, including perishables, and then throw food away

Got enough porridge oats in stock, I prefer not to hoard even dry goods, I try to have just enough in stock. I do buy several packs of goods that are on offer, especially cheap, lentils for example

Other experiences, observations, stories, memories?

I share your concerns. I think we're going to see pest infestations and massive food waste from people buying dry food like pasta and flour that don't have the capacity to store that much safely - and that's at best. The worst case may see diseases spread due to people eating spoiled food that they feel they can't afford to throw away.

Locally, pasta was in short supply a week or so ago. Last week it was things you can have on pasta. I've not been shopping for non-fresh food this week yet. I've not seen the bog roll rush or long queues at any point, but I've read sporadic reports of them on local facebook groups, including from people I know who I don't think would fib.

Today, a kitchen appliance engineer who I consider trustworthy told me that the local showroom has sold all its stock of freezers in the last few days and new ones are costing them twice as much now because of a surge in demand. Is this another odd consequence of food hoarding?

ive read that as a consequence of hoarding and lockdown freezers and turbo trainers are in short supply.

rjb wrote:Popped into Tescos for milk. Shelves seemed well stocked, no apparent shortages. Is this hoarding limited to cities and big towns. No evidence down here in rural somerset, plenty to go around for everyone, no signs of panic buying.

Same here Down West.

Taking the last five of something is selfish.
Minus 10.

I suggested to an employee in Tesco at lunchtime that they should label the Panic Buy Aisle (s) to better assist their shoppers.

To her credit the lady did see the funny side.

mjr wrote:

Cyril Haearn wrote:I am concerned that people buy too much, including perishables, and then throw food away

Got enough porridge oats in stock, I prefer not to hoard even dry goods, I try to have just enough in stock. I do buy several packs of goods that are on offer, especially cheap, lentils for example

Other experiences, observations, stories, memories?

I share your concerns. I think we're going to see pest infestations and massive food waste from people buying dry food like pasta and flour that don't have the capacity to store that much safely - and that's at best. The worst case may see diseases spread due to people eating spoiled food that they feel they can't afford to throw away.

Locally, pasta was in short supply a week or so ago. Last week it was things you can have on pasta. I've not been shopping for non-fresh food this week yet. I've not seen the bog roll rush or long queues at any point, but I've read sporadic reports of them on local facebook groups, including from people I know who I don't think would fib.

Today, a kitchen appliance engineer who I consider trustworthy told me that the local showroom has sold all its stock of freezers in the last few days and new ones are costing them twice as much now because of a surge in demand. Is this another odd consequence of food hoarding?

yes once the hoarding rats have all the loo paper , tins and pasta/rice they want next it will be fresh meat to be put in the freezer. This happened to Lidl streatham over the weekend with empty fresh raw meat shelves. A lady who i spoke to was taking a picture of the empty shelves as she couldnt believe what she was seeing. The rats dont seem to like bacon as that section still had a healthy inventory, and there ws a little amount of fish

I noticed yesterday in the Coop that the only variety of toilet roll left was the recycled. Which was fine by me.

Mike Sales wrote:I noticed yesterday in the Coop that the only variety of toilet roll left was the recycled. Which was fine by me.

rats like the soft stuff for their derrieres

mercalia wrote:

Mike Sales wrote:I noticed yesterday in the Coop that the only variety of toilet roll left was the recycled. Which was fine by me.

rats like the soft stuff for their derrieres

Maybe, but my bum can't tell the difference. My guess is that "recycled" sounds a bit iffy to them.

We are hoarding, but not over-much. Just bread flour: 4.5Kg at the moment, which is more than we usually have in. It so happened that the only brand of wheat flour we could find in Waitrose today was the one we usually buy for breadmaking anyway, so we picked up one bag. Repeat: one bag. That ain't panic buying! Our store won't go off: all the bags are in the usual cupboard and have "best before" dates in August. It'll all be used up long before then - but then what?

Yeast we haven't checked, but I've heard that stocks of that are low too. Not a disaster for us - we can make sourdough for the duration, though we prefer a bit of variety. Other things: salt and water - and power for the oven. Salt we've plenty of .... if the tap water runs dry or the power fails ....

What other things? Very little. We bought some extra dried kidney beans (on special offer: one bag) and chickpeas from another shop, also on special offer (two bags this time, because they were on BOGOF). Once again, I hope no-one will accuse us of panic-buying! All our shopping, as always, went easily into the panniers on the two bikes. That's a point. A cyclist can't panic-buy, unless they tow a large trailer...

Combination, synergy is a possible solution, read a book while sitting on the throne, tear out the pages one has read, use them, no need to spend hard-earned cash on bleached topa that is probably made from discarded books

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/mar/16/uks-sewage-system-in-danger-of-gridlock-from-toilet-paper-substitutes-coronavirus wrote:UK's sewage system in danger of gridlock from toilet paper substitutes
...
Consumers have been warned of the dangers of substituting kitchen roll and wet wipes for toilet paper which – if flushed down the loo – could overwhelm the UK’s sewers.

Innocent consumer substitutions due to shortages caused by fears about the spread of coronovirus could create serious consequences which are critical to society and life, according to leading supply chain academic Prof Richard Wilding.

Ian