Quote from: ianrs54 on 22 March 2020, 10:07:10 AM
But no-one admits to panic buying 

Yeah this is it... I've not actually spoken to anyone who would admit to panic buying. Lots of people I know are buying a little extra just in case, but not going mad. Which makes me wonder if everyone is doing that it only takes a handful of stockpilers to set the whole thing off. There are definitely maniacs out there being selfish and stockpiling, but I suspect part of it is everyone just buying "a little extra just in case".

The problem is when you make 3 or 4 trips to the shops and the shelves are bare, it's natural for normal people to pick up and extra pack/can or two "just in case" when they do finally do find a shop with stock.

Hmmm. I suspect our great and good government has fifty plans to keep Bangkok fed, and has given no thought to the rest of the country.

Quote from: ianrs54 on 22 March 2020, 10:07:10 AM
But no-one admits to panic buying 

I'll hold my hand up here - last week I bought a 9-pack of toilet rolls instead of the normal 4-pack.

"My name is Raider4 and I am a panic buyer" /sobs.

Having seen them stripping the shelves (as in, a literal trolley full of UHT milk or bags of rice & pasta or loo roll or nappies - seen all the above), there's a fair whack of hoarding/profiteering going on even if it's not just people stocking up a bit. Doubly so as I've seen all the above online at vastly inflated costs.

Quote from: sunjester on 22 March 2020, 10:38:22 AM
The problem is when you make 3 or 4 trips to the shops and the shelves are bare, it's natural for normal people to pick up and extra pack/can or two "just in case" when they do finally do find a shop with stock.

Yeah of course, it's natural to want to. And not entirely unreasonable. Just exacerbates the situation.

Quote from: toxicpixie on 22 March 2020, 10:51:47 AM
Having seen them stripping the shelves (as in, a literal trolley full of UHT milk or bags of rice & pasta or loo roll or nappies - seen all the above), there's a fair whack of hoarding/profiteering going on even if it's not just people stocking up a bit. Doubly so as I've seen all the above online at vastly inflated costs.

Yeah 100% that's just pure selfishness and unpleasantness.

The ironic thing is that barring Size 1 nappies and some specialist diet stuff (gluten free bread), all the small shops have the "scare" items. Local hardware store even has hand sanitizer!

And I know a couple of friends who've done their food shop at local garden centres

Quote from: toxicpixie on 22 March 2020, 11:14:34 AM
And I know a couple of friends who've done their food shop at local garden centres

No doubt fresh veg and sunflower seed only !! 

Artisanal pasta and wierd posh seasonal gift food, I think

Quote from: ianrs54 on 22 March 2020, 10:07:10 AM
But no-one admits to panic buying 

This is a classical oxymoron  in British government policy.  First they want people to self isolate as much as possible - then they get annoyed if people take their advice and  stock up to avoid going out.

Interestingly enough we ventured out to the garden centre yesterday having walked our (very elderly) dog to get a few tomato plants etc. We found the farm shop there had all sorts of things - including big bags of rice and pasta.  As my wife needs gluten free we did not want the pasta but did buy a bag of rice (as well as a small amount of fresh veg) but our daughter in law who was nearby came over and - though she did not need any herself asked her neighbours via a neighbourhood WhatsApp group and picked up a bag of rice and a bag of pasta for them as they apparently could not find pasta locally. 

Meanwhile we are ordering food for our neighbours (both couples in their 80s).  Our son and daughter in law are aiming to do volunteering for neighbours. We're waiting to find out if my wife is considered high risk ie will he asked to self isolate for 12 weeks.

My job is full time from home and if anything busier than usual (and includes a number of early and late conference calls) so I am trying to avoid being on the office laptop all the time and making sure we do some things as a couple (eg reading my wife chapters of a new book) as well as making time to paint! If I can set up a schedule to paint an hour a day I will be happy.

Regards

Edward

Quote from: Sunray on 22 March 2020, 12:11:07 PM
This is a classical oxymoron  in British government policy.  First they want people to self isolate as much as possible - then they get annoyed if people take their advice and  stock up to avoid going out.

My partner is both gluten free AND mildly lactose intolerant, as well as being picky. With rationing now in effect actually getting enough milk for her is a bloody nightmare and would have me in the supermarket three-four times a week >_<

Quote from: FierceKitty on 22 March 2020, 10:43:59 AM
Hmmm. I suspect our great and good government has fifty plans to keep Bangkok fed, and has given no thought to the rest of the country.

You could always eat the cats if you get desperate

Or they could eat us. I hope I'd go that route first.

Had a wonderful day in the garden with the sun shining and a fresh Easterly breeze. Quite happy with self-isolation at the moment. Will have to break it on Tuesday to go and pick daughter up from Edinburgh.