How are we getting through it?

[Steve J]

Very few customers or staff at Lidl and Asda wearing masks today. Given the steep rise in cases here you would have thought it wise to keep wearing them. We certainly are.

[Techno II]

Have to say...Never seen the carpark at Tesco's, in Cardigan, as full at the time I normally go in.    (Excluding Christmas  )

Yes.....There are certain (but very few) 'really specific' items/brands that aren't there, just at the mo'.....But there are plenty of alternatives....Let's face it..this often happens anyway.

Shelves were empty of Tesco's own brand of dog food....(SHOCK HORROR PROBE  ).....(Got the boys some Pedigree Chum.....Damn the extra 50p. )

Paracetamol tablets.....none of those..but plenty of the 'caplets'.

..and that really was about it....The shelves will be full again in no time at all !

I did hear one shopper, complaining to a friend about someone she obviously thought was a tourist......."YOU SHOULD HAVE SEEN HER TROLLEY.....OVERFLOWING, IT WAS....TALK ABOUT PANIC BUYING."

Bloody media, and platforms like Faceache.

Cheers - Phil.

[Raider4]

First item on radio news: "Supermarkets are urging customers not to panic buy".

I wonder what will happen now . . . ?

[Techno II]

Urm.... .....No, I just can't guess, Martyn 

Cheers- Phil. 

(P.S. If anyone wants loo rolls...gimme a shout.... One roll...£100* to you, sir.....Bargain !...They won't be around for long, Sir..Get'em while you can.....* Plus P&P, of course..This to be negotiated.)

[Orcs]

First item on radio news: "Supermarkets are urging customers not to panic buy".

I wonder what will happen now . . . ?

Again, even at the height of it last year, the only thing I could not get were Loo rolls and hand sanitizer.  Fortunately we buy loo roll in bulk (well 24 roll pack) so had plenty. Work put up Sanitizer stations al over the place with 1 litre bottles in them....Decanted a bot and I was sorted.

Now if we ran out of MDF for bases, or model paints I would be concerned, although I have so much paint, I might have to do another project if a particular colour ru out.

[mmcv]

You can bulk buy a lot of that stuff online anyway if you really need it. We also have always tended to bulk buy bog roll and certain larder staples (dried beans, etc) as it's more economical and it's not like it goes off...I don't really understand panic buying mentality though. Especially this time round as it's more to do with staff shortages than supply shortages. Apparently it's something about feeling in control psychologically. Plus some people seem really resistant to trying things outside their comfort zone, like a different brand...  the horror...

[Lord Kermit of Birkenhead]

(P.S. If anyone wants loo rolls...gimme a shout.... One roll...£100* to you, sir.....Bargain !...)

Picked a 12 month supply eariler in the week. £3 Not noticed any shortages in the local ASDAs although stock was very different - memo to self - check Brombrogh as well as Woodchurch and Birkenhead !

[toxicpixie]

We've had constant short orders and missing stuff and wildly entertaining but unusable replacements on our deliveries from all the supermarkets.

The rare occasions I've not avoided going in they've been OK, but recently have nose dived.

Problem with bulk buying is where do you put it? We've squirrelled away stuff all over the house, but then we have a house, with loft and extention which is pretty privilieged. If I was in a flat, or in multioccupancy housing, it would bloody difficult at best.

[Heedless Horseman]

Just last week, I 'popped into' a shop and was 'mortified' to realise that I'd forgot to mask... didn't even get a 'look', tho. Will continue to mask and glove for some time yet!
'Stockpiling'! Before Ma's Head 'went'... (and looking back, the signs may have been there for a 'long' time)... she was a great cook and always carried MASSIVE stocks of food and also non-perishable stuff. PLUS, her 'emergengy' staches of tinned/ dried staples!  
Still have FIVE freezers stuffed to capacity! Just hope we never get a long loss of power! Some shelves. I have never looked at... and there are the tubs of 'unidentifiable' gloop!
Tinned produce... have almost finished the cases of Corned Beef got in for 'Work' sandwiches nearly 4 yrs ago. Still good. Other tins... no way would I touch! Last year, I dumped her 'emergency' stache stockpiled for 'The Millennium Bug'! Think current record was a tin of Chicken with a 95 Date!
So, not likely to starve... though death from food poisoning a possibility.  
Rater Sad, chucking her 'Cake Baking' stuff out, though.      (But... why would she have possibly needed 3 tape sealed Big coffee jars each, of Dried Fruit, Caster Sugar and Almonds?).   
I continue to 'bulk buy' some stuff when possible and 'on offer'... 6 months supply of 'Dog tins', or 3-4 9 packs of Bog Roll... but there is absolutely NO space left in the house... apart from 'The Loft'.... and I AIN'T GOING UP THERE!  

[Techno II]

So, not likely to starve... though death from food poisoning a possibility.  

Don't go there, Keith......Von and I have both been suffering from that for the last couple of days.....(Not proper food poisoning...a very mild symptom of heatstroke..but somewhat unpleasant.)

Mind you..there's an unopened packet of very nice ham in the fridge....that should have been used by yesterday.....I won't risk it......Bin...or if it doesn't smell 'off'..I know a couple of our for legged friends  who will wolf it down. (Oh, for the extra acid they've got in their stomachs, to kill 'germs'.)

Cheers - Phil.

[Orcs]

Don't go there, Keith......Von and I have both been suffering from that for the last couple of days.....(Not proper food poisoning...a very mild symptom of heatstroke..but somewhat unpleasant.)

Mind you..there's an unopened packet of very nice ham in the fridge....that should have been used by yesterday.....I won't risk it......Bin...or if it doesn't smell 'off'..I know a couple of our for legged friends  who will wolf it down. (Oh, for the extra acid they've got in their stomachs, to kill 'germs'.)

Cheers - Phil.

Unless it smells or looks dodgy of the pot has "Blown" I eat it . Only thing I am careful on is Shell fish.

[Heedless Horseman]

Apart from well frozen Scampi or cooked Prawns, shellfish has never been part of our menu. Even when guaranteed fresh, I don't trust the stuff. Once stayed with a relative on Yugoslav coast. He would don a Snorkel, take a hammer and 'waddle' out of water with his trunks stuffed with some sort of Bivalve! His wife cooked VERY tasty 'stew'... BUT, 'Adriatic Tummy'... and no water supply in mornings... does tend to put one off!  

Our freezers set high... frost/ice on packaging. Sometimes wonder about 'Supermarket Frozen'? Always 'dig' into the compartment. Ma never bothered about dates on Frozen, and we never had problems... but time is passing on freezer contents.
I AM a bit 'dubious' about 'Chilled' that was immediately frozen. Some really nice meals in freezers... but, hmmm... might leave a little bit longer!  
Fridge Chilled...'might ' go a day or two after date for self. Ma, I'm more careful... But, given MY booze intake, HER guts work better than mine, anyway! LOL!
Bread... usually WELL past... but the odd GREEN fleck , picked off, doesn't harm. Too much... or other colours... bin.
Tins... 'probably' good for a year or two past date... ain't dead... but DO NOT ADVOCATE!

Animals... Dog, Cat or Foxes / Birds... if I won't eat it, they ain't getting it either. Dog... 'BIG' GSD... so 'doggy' 'Bad Guts' is to be avoided...!  

[Steve J]

Well cases have risen by around 200 in just a couple of days here in South Glos, with us now the highest rate in the West country . At 888 as of last night, near as damn it double the highest rate at the peak of the pandemic. Not good, not good at all and given the almost complete lack of mask worn in shops over the past few days, it's only going to get an awful lot worse.

[Techno II]

...and then there's the 5 day (?) lag on the figures, Steve......So what it's actually doing right at this mo'....

Cheers - Phil.

[FierceKitty]

Apart from well frozen Scampi or cooked Prawns, shellfish has never been part of our menu. Even when guaranteed fresh, I don't trust the stuff. Once stayed with a relative on Yugoslav coast. He would don a Snorkel, take a hammer and 'waddle' out of water with his trunks stuffed with some sort of Bivalve! His wife cooked VERY tasty 'stew'... BUT, 'Adriatic Tummy'... and no water supply in mornings... does tend to put one off!  

Our freezers set high... frost/ice on packaging. Sometimes wonder about 'Supermarket Frozen'? Always 'dig' into the compartment. Ma never bothered about dates on Frozen, and we never had problems... but time is passing on freezer contents.
I AM a bit 'dubious' about 'Chilled' that was immediately frozen. Some really nice meals in freezers... but, hmmm... might leave a little bit longer!  
Fridge Chilled...'might ' go a day or two after date for self. Ma, I'm more careful... But, given MY booze intake, HER guts work better than mine, anyway! LOL!
Bread... usually WELL past... but the odd GREEN fleck , picked off, doesn't harm. Too much... or other colours... bin.
Tins... 'probably' good for a year or two past date... ain't dead... but DO NOT ADVOCATE!

Animals... Dog, Cat or Foxes / Birds... if I won't eat it, they ain't getting it either. Dog... 'BIG' GSD... so 'doggy' 'Bad Guts' is to be avoided...!  

Nothing tastier than seafood stews from that region, swimming in olive oil and singing of garlic and saffron.