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.

 

[pauly7]

Just received my first (ever) online order from Woolies after registering as "priority" (self-isolated and over 70) - amazing service - right on time in the middle of the advised 1 hour window - cold items still very cold - very impressed - only item missing was Glad Wrap (go figure - who's hoarding Glad wrap ??).

If this helps, we have been glad wrap free for a couple of years now, don’t need it and horrifying for the environment. Use these below instead and supports a local Australian business as well. They last forever if you look after them!

Beeswax Wraps

Apiary Made

apiarymade.com.au

 

[MEL_Traveller]

At 8am yesterday most things were available at the supermarket - including toilet paper. Only real thing missing now is pasta.

But the cost of the shop has noticeably increased - by around 30% I'd say. No specials.

 

[Himeno]

Now here's my question/dilemma - would have liked to tip the delivery person but with contactless delivery (he left our order in our apartment hallway at our request - (ours is the only unit occupied on our floor) and with the risk of handling cash - I could not figure out how to do this. I thought of sending Woolies a message asking if they could add a tip item to the grocery list then this could be shared with all people working in home delivery - but would everyone be willing to kick in??

The delivery drivers are contracted (mostly Toll from what I've seen, but can vary by region) and don't work for Woolworths. Anything other then exceptionally good/bad text/phone based feedback is unlikely to make it back to the driver.


The panic buying has largely improved over the past week. It started backing off on the 22nd, and other then an brief surge on evening 23rd/24th after the press conference on the afternoon of the 23rd, buying generally has slowed down back towards normal levels.
People starting to understand what is happening and the item limits have helped.
Meat stocks are improving as some lines have been paused and aren't being produced at the moment in order to make more of something else (eg, not making chipolatas to make more normal sausages).

Other things like paper products have been 'fairshared' and allocated (the warehouse or HQ split up what the DC has to send out and ignores what the store may need/want). Work has had toilet paper in the morning, but has sold out within 2 hours for the past week.

Generally, the panic buying had lead to 80-120% extra then normal in demand (eg, Dec 23/24 levels non stop for 3 weeks). In the past week, it has gone down to around 20-30% extra.

 

[pauly7]

At 8am yesterday most things were available at the supermarket - including toilet paper. Only real thing missing now is pasta.

But the cost of the shop has noticeably increased - by around 30% I'd say. No specials.

If you hold Woolworths or Coles shares you should get some of that increased cost they are profiteering, back in some astronomical dividends one would hope

 

[Lynda2475]

I reckon the price hike is more than 30%. I have never spent more than $70 on a supermarket shop for myself ever; and most weeks its in the order of $40-50. Saturday was $110 and I couldnt even get a lot of what I wanted.

$7 for a cauliflower -which is normally about $4.

 

[TheRealTMA]

I reckon the price hike is more than 30%. I have never spent more than $70 on a supermarket shop for myself ever; and most weeks its in the order of $40-50. Saturday was $110 and I couldnt even get a lot of what I wanted.

$7 for a cauliflower -which is normally about $4.

I think it's also that the general prices of fruit and veg have gone up from the wholesalers farmers etc.

We have Zone Fresh fruit and veg and deli shops here and they have online orders.

Crisp Fresh Cauliflower | Zonefresh Gourmet Market

Our Cauliflower have a mild slightly nutty flavour and are available all year round. Delicious raw or cooked in salads, stir fries & more. Available whole or half.

www.zonefresh.com.au

 

[VPS]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1241776703770447877

How others stay active

 

[Pushka]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1241776703770447877

How others stay active

What could possibly go wrong?

 

[blackcat20]

At 8am yesterday most things were available at the supermarket - including toilet paper. Only real thing missing now is pasta.

But the cost of the shop has noticeably increased - by around 30% I'd say. No specials.

I reckon the price hike is more than 30%. I have never spent more than $70 on a supermarket shop for myself ever; and most weeks its in the order of $40-50. Saturday was $110 and I couldnt even get a lot of what I wanted.

$7 for a cauliflower -which is normally about $4.

Fresh food is more expensive, generally just an increase in wholesale prices. Summer food is coming to an end and we haven't quite got into winter food yet.

Woolies seems to have almost no specials. I'm usually quite a thrifty shopper but at the moment you need to buy things when you see them, so you can't be waiting for a discount. Our shop was over 50% more expensive last week. This week was only marginally better. I did notice Coles had quite a lot of specials today in comparison to Woolies.

 

[Lynda2475]

The only specials I saw in Coles on Saturday was in the chocolate aisle - so for junk food not real food.

 

[mrs.dr.ron]

Hey ... chocolate is real food !

 

[TheRealTMA]

Hey ... chocolate is real food !

Essential!

The most surprising benefits of eating more chocolate

From heart health to weight loss, this is why chocolate is healthier than you think

www.telegraph.co.uk

 

[Lynda2475]

Hey Ive nothing against chocolate, but the good stuff doesnt come from Coles.

 

[Pushka]

$15 a kilo for broccoli is racketeering.

 

[Dr Ralph]

Wasn't aware that there were restrictions on potatoes. Got caught out today at Woolworths. Even the checkout operator couldn't understand why the transaction wouldn't process.

If you hold Woolworths or Coles shares you should get some of that increased cost they are profiteering, back in some astronomical dividends one would hope

Unlikely. This will be negated by the large hit they are taking on the hotels/licenced premises that they own.

 

[luxury-lizard]

 

[serfty]

$15 a kilo for broccoli is racketeering.

Yes, I might think about actually eating it if you pay me $16 per Kg.

 

[Himeno]

Wasn't aware that there were restrictions on potatoes. Got caught out today at Woolworths. Even the checkout operator couldn't understand why the transaction wouldn't process.


Unlikely. This will be negated by the large hit they are taking on the hotels/licenced premises that they own.

2 pack limit on prepacked potatoes and carrots.
Limit on potatoes has been there for a week. Carrots since Friday.

Woolworths has taken a hit with the ALH group being closed and having to stand down 8000 staff from that arm (which they are in the process of selling off anyway). Woolworths is also having to pay for extra training and hire costs and wages for the extra 20000 staff being hired and transfered across from partners (like Qantas), other areas of Woolworths Group (Big W and BWS) and new hires.

They cancelled specials on non Easter and catalogue lines in order to reduce hours required to change tickets and promo displays and redirect that time to restocking and customer service. (which was a problem this current promo week as they still sent the stock that would have been on special)

 

[Denali]

We secured mum in laws sustagen at a Chemist Warehouse about 10klms away

Security guard at door asking people to hand sanitise before entering but they still used a touch screen for payment but hand sanitiser after payment.

On the way out, hand sanitise again (as per security guard request).

Hubby then wanted to go to Bunnings to pick up some wood glue (why cant he just stay home!). Carpark very empty but lots of people wearing masks. Staff counters have a table next to it so you are a table width away from staff.

 

[jakeseven7]

2 pack limit on prepacked potatoes and carrots.
Limit on potatoes has been there for a week. Carrots since Friday.

Woolworths has taken a hit with the ALH group being closed and having to stand down 8000 staff from that arm (which they are in the process of selling off anyway). Woolworths is also having to pay for extra training and hire costs and wages for the extra 20000 staff being hired and transfered across from partners (like Qantas), other areas of Woolworths Group (Big W and BWS) and new hires.

They cancelled specials on non Easter and catalogue lines in order to reduce hours required to change tickets and promo displays and redirect that time to restocking and customer service. (which was a problem this current promo week as they still sent the stock that would have been on special)

Oh poor old Woolies!
So we shouldn’t expect to see an increase in profits at Woolworths??

The cancelled hours on ticketing get directed to putting people on checkouts and stacking so they can sell more.

Sorry doesn’t pass the pub test. Or the financial analysts test either once reporting season comes and Woolies profit numbers come out.