Coronavirus (COVID-19) Panic Buying?

[lovetravellingoz]

Indeed, I get the impression Aussies are too busy emptying supermarket shelves to go on holiday!
cheers skip

Not at the supermarkets I frequent. And at Costco, when don't shoppers here have full trollies?

I think it is more that hand sanitiser has a run on.

 

[33kft]

Please stop shooting the messengers.

I respect your opinion @drron, but it's also possible to have other opinions.

And my assessment is that there's a much smaller space for brick and mortar grocers like Coles and Woolworths going forward. All of this is much easier to police using online channels which get people out of the stores, allow limiting of quantities based on addresses and accounts, reducing the need to stack the items in the first time and getting the items directly to people.

Instead they largely shut those channels down and abandoned them. It's a matter of time before Amazon Prime Now teams up with a smaller grocer like they did in the US and cuts out the middle man, and all the jobs that go with it, and as we lament this we can remember about how Coles and Woolworths handled the highest grossing period in their recent existence - by dropping the ball and leaving people without vital supplies. The exact vulnerability that you're squarely blaming for this is also the singular risk they've entirely failed to account for and in addressing it they've taken steps that constrained supply even more such as shutting stores for longer to re-stock shelves and limiting who can enter. Not a single smart idea has come out of this from the retailers other than security guards checking item numbers way after the problem had occurred. It's the best they have for now but by not taking items out of the physical stores and delvering them to people directly and instead by shutting down pick up services and effectively halving the online delivery capacity (or like Coles, shutting it down completely) they made the problem worse.

I don't think online channels are for everyone but I think the majority should have been steered in that direction. In the future when this is all over I expect a populace which is much more aware of the vulnerabilities of having to go out to get their produce and relying on someone to stock it when they want it, and that's going to drive people away from the legacy grocers and towards technology enterprises.

 

[Denali]

Just was just reminded that hubbys friend is a nurse - forgot about that so even more reason to reach out to people and offer help if you can.

Told hubby by the end of this, I should weigh less but did ask him to be a bit more conservative with his snacking. Hes like a damned Hobbit, 2 breakfasts a day plus brunch, lunch, afternoon snack. Small sizes but damn, working from home I now realise how often he eats.

 

[Lawrage]

Oh the up side the chocolate aisle was full, grabbed a slab of Cadburys Bubbly (only 1)

I may be out of touch with how the restocking system and laws work but isnt restocking the stores at night after the store has closed a thing still?

 

[Denali]

I found Coke Classic and I wasnt even looking for it. Bought 2 but starting to eye off the bozze in my office..... I hope my neice decides to get married one day, maybe I can donate to the bar

 

[amaroo]

You almost got the units right.

Woolworths advised they are selling 7 _weeks_ of toilet paper daily.

There is almost no business or for that matter any engineering (bridges, roads) that are designed to cope with usage/demand that is 50 times higher than the normal usage). Not twice or 10 times as much but 50 times as much.

It really boggles the mind.

I was in Woolies yesterday and in a relatively affluent area. I'd never seen so many empty shelves.

I got a laugh on the way out as I asked if this was the queue for not having any potatoes or the queue for not having any meat.. as I was bored with queueing for no potatoes..

There were approx 30 Woolies staff working in a shop that I'd rarely seen more than 10 on a normal restock night (i.e Tue night for Wednesday specials changeover)

7 weeks of dunny paper would fill stadiums not shelves.

Woolworths sold a week's stock of toilet paper in one day

Woolworths and Coles will close stores up to three hours earlier than normal and have suspended home deliveries and click and collect as panic buying worsens.

www.afr.com

 

[Denali]

Just prepared Chicken Kiev for dinner and sent one over to mum in law so she can bake herself/when she wants it. Slice it up for lunch tomorrow as well as they are big. Anyways....

Me: Go give this to your mum please
Hubby: Should we, considering the current climate?
Me: I washed my hands, the container is clean, you wash your hands, it will be OK
Hubby: No. Should we be giving food away
Me: We're not going to let your almost 90yr mum die from lack of food!
Hubby: She has a deep freezer, its most probably full with food.

 

[TheRealTMA]

just deserts

Mum reveals her horror as kids destroy her entire toilet paper stash

A mum who took the precautionary measure of stocking up on 18 rolls of toilet paper amid the coronavirus outbreak has discovered she doesn’t have a square to spare.

www.news.com.au

 

[TheRealTMA]

Im limited by the size of my fridge freezer but even frozen desserts are limited to 2 per person

Are people planning on survivng the virus with a touch of diabeties with their pasta? Their plan is to survive sittng on the couch with their Almond Magnums?

What? I need to panic buy Almond Magnums?? Thanks!

 

[blackcat20]

just deserts

Mum reveals her horror as kids destroy her entire toilet paper stash

A mum who took the precautionary measure of stocking up on 18 rolls of toilet paper amid the coronavirus outbreak has discovered she doesn’t have a square to spare.

www.news.com.au

18 rolls isnt a stockpile, its not even a full pack if you buy the 24 roll packs.

 

[Pushka]

I presume many/most people saw the PM's address to the nation this morning - among many other things he told Australians to stop hoarding and start acting like real Australians. While I'm certainly not the president of ScoMo's fan club - I thought his speak showed some real leadership.

The question is will this stop the hoarding - I'm not so sure. One reporter asked if some sort of anti-hoarding legislation would be introduced - he said he seriously hoped that it would not be required and people would start acting sensibly.

I missed it but now I have to watch it. Thanks. I could do with some inspirational kind of stuff now if that's what it is.

a bit more conservative with his snacking. Hes like a damned Hobbit

THIS! Now you mention it I might go hide our vulnerable snack items. In the vegetable crisper should do the trick.

 

[Denali]

When the store opened today, I made a point to stand back and let everyone go first. Reason being I could see lots of veggies and some meats and most people went right (for the processed food aisles). The benefit of being almost 6ft tall I guess.

Im disgusted this is happening

Young girl injured in Coles stampede for toilet roll

A 13-year-old girl has been left injured and crying on the ground after panic buyers stormed a Coles to buy toilet paper.

www.news.com.au

A 13-year-old girl has been left injured and crying on the ground after panic buyers who stormed a Coles in a stampede to buy toilet paper.

The girl's mother, who is currently wheelchair-bound due to a recent operation, said she went to the Coles in Baldivis, Perth, today to buy toilet paper and snacks with her daughter and nine-year-old son.

She told The West Australian that, when the doors opened, she was quickly separated from her daughter in the mad rush. Moments later, she found her daughter crying on the floor.

 

[Pushka]

When the store opened today, I made a point to stand back and let everyone go first. Reason being I could see lots of veggies and some meats and most people went right (for the processed food aisles). The benefit of being almost 6ft tall I guess.

Im disgusted this is happening

Young girl injured in Coles stampede for toilet roll

A 13-year-old girl has been left injured and crying on the ground after panic buyers stormed a Coles to buy toilet paper.

www.news.com.au

A 13-year-old girl has been left injured and crying on the ground after panic buyers who stormed a Coles in a stampede to buy toilet paper.

The girl's mother, who is currently wheelchair-bound due to a recent operation, said she went to the Coles in Baldivis, Perth, today to buy toilet paper and snacks with her daughter and nine-year-old son.

She told The West Australian that, when the doors opened, she was quickly separated from her daughter in the mad rush. Moments later, she found her daughter crying on the floor.

I just shakes me head in disbelief. If ever you read in the news of a feisty granny in her sixties tackling such idiots with her handbag, well, no need to look further.

 

[Himeno]

This stupid panic buying needs to stop. There is no need for it. People are only going to need a 2 week supply. If someone is required to isolate and run out of something, there are things in place to get essentials to them. The entire reason shelves are going empty is because these idiots are going around clearing out stores and hoarding.
There is no reason for someone to go buy 3 months of food, then come back the next day and buy another 3 months worth.

Wodonga RDC had a melt down this morning and said "right, those 32 stores we supply. Only 5 of you are getting loads tonight."
That was sorted out and the loads are getting sent to all stores, don't know if they'll send the entire order to each store though.

Nationally last week, Woolworths sold enough food to feed 50 million people.
That's more then twice the population of Australia, from 40% of the market share. Add in Coles, IGA, Aldi, etc, and it's close to having supplied enough food in a week for 200 million people.

The shops not restocking the shelves fast enough is causing a flow on effect and even normal people are going to be buying more causing an even longer period where we cant get things.

The shops are restocking the shelves as fast as they get loads in. It is not the store or any staff members fault that stupid unthinking morons are clearing out what would normally last 3-4 days in 3-4 hours.

 

[Lawrage]

Well finally got some beef, had to drive to a richer area, everything was out except for the gravy beef which I have been looking for since the weekend. Very happy.

 

[get me outta here]

It was obvious before the real 'panic' buying set in that they had plenty of notice to start rationing instead of only starting that recently. They just had to get together, if it was at all possible. I remember that quite clearly it was easy to predict what was going to happen. You can't keep saying, 'clam down, stop buying stuff' and the shelves are still bare.

They were hit hard when 7 days worth of supply was purchased in one day, The distribution centres, transport and stores can't cope with that amount of catchup when the behaviour is repetitive.

Stores that operate with a suburban footprint are further disadvantage due to restrictive noise curfews - no deliverers between certain hours, some as strict as 6pm - 7am.

There's plenty of stock, but getting it distributed is the real problem..... of course, if people stop hoarding - problem solved.

 

[drron]

And amidst the panic some real compassion.A call out for South Sydney RL player behind this.
.

.

 

[Himeno]

It was obvious before the real 'panic' buying set in that they had plenty of notice to start rationing instead of only starting that recently. They just had to get together, if it was at all possible. I remember that quite clearly it was easy to predict what was going to happen. You can't keep saying, 'clam down, stop buying stuff' and the shelves are still bare.

There was nothing to suggest that there would be sudden runs and random stockpiling.
Every metric was showing normal sales, every forecast was showing normal trends, then suddenly 7 days worth of toilet paper was sold in an afternoon.

The way to fix this is for people to stop acting so bloody stupidly and to just buy the amounts they normally would. That will allow the supply chain to catch up and restock stores.
The shelves are only "still bare" because people keep ignoring everything anyone who actually knows anything about this says and continue to insist on buying more then what is normal.

A new store takes 2-4 days of deliveries to go from totally empty to fully stocked prior to the new store opening.

The current insanity buying means that the supply network is having to treat every shop as if they were stocking a new store, while they are still trading.

The alternative would be to close every supermarket for a week while the supply chain catches up, then have to keep closing on alternate weeks while this insanity continues.

Every single person who has been panic buying should be wishing that SARS-CoV-2 attacked the brain rather then the lungs. Because they would be immune.

 

[amaroo]

It was obvious before the real 'panic' buying set in that they had plenty of notice to start rationing instead of only starting that recently. They just had to get together, if it was at all possible. I remember that quite clearly it was easy to predict what was going to happen. You can't keep saying, 'clam down, stop buying stuff' and the shelves are still bare.

It's like a copper that's told "this person is going to commit a crime" until the crime has been committed - it's business as usual.

 

[drron]

And on the down side from Twitter.
Nope, not Venezuela, but the rural Victorian city of Traralgon, population 25,000. Yesterday, totally cleaned out of veggies, meat, bread, toilet paper and even dog and cat food. Panic stricken, selfish #Melbourne people, driving up and raiding, depriving the locals. #COVID19au
.

.

 

[get me outta here]

Just must be me that is prescient, because I could see it as it happened weeks ago, well before this thread started.

People are probably not going to respond to the order from all quarters to, "calm down!" Nor, to the "stop being so bloody stupid".
Professional negotiators are well aware that saying either of those things actually has the opposite effect and only makes people worse. The way to stop this is to restrict quantities as should have been done weeks ago. Not keep complaining about this behaviour.

Once the shelves have a chance to get restocked, the 'panic' will die down.

There was nothing to suggest that there would be sudden runs and random stockpiling.
Every metric was showing normal sales, every forecast was showing normal trends, then suddenly 7 days worth of toilet paper was sold in an afternoon.

The way to fix this is for people to stop acting so bloody stupidly and to just buy the amounts they normally would. That will allow the supply chain to catch up and restock stores.
The shelves are only "still bare" because people keep ignoring everything anyone who actually knows anything about this and continue to insist on buying more then what is normal.

A new store takes 2-4 days of deliveries to go from totally empty to fully stocked prior to the new store opening.

The current insanity buying means that the supply network is having to treat every shop as if they were stocking a new store, while they are still trading.

The alternative would be to close every supermarket for a week while the supply chain catches up, then have to keep closing on alternate weeks while this insanity continues.

Every single person who has been panic buying should be wishing that SARS-CoV-2 attacked the brain rather then the lungs. Because they would be immune.