Panic buying

[rockershovel]

5 hours ago, Butler Henderson said:

They have for some time accepted orders placed on line for pick up on store, the only change is that they now have the goods ready whereas it was usually a case waiting while they found them.

 

That was pretty much their usual system, just with staff bringing it out to the car park or front door. Another change now is that you can pitch up and order from your phone or iPad, and (for anything actually in stock) collect within a few minutes. 

 

Our local B&Q was, for all practical purposes, closed for some weeks, regardless of anything their website might have claimed. My contact there said they were supplying local builders direct from stock, as available, from one branch only. Never a store famous for its rapid till service (they have less till points than Wickes, for a store at least four times the size) they struggled with re-opening and appear to be suffering the consequences. I’ve identified several local suppliers of decorating supplies (who knew Dulux had two local agents, while Crown Paints sold direct to the public?) and garden timber (fence panels etc) and won’t be returning. 

[ejstubbs]

Latest thing to have gone in to inexplicably short supply round here seems to be milk in 2 pint cartons.  Sainsburys had nothing but 1 pint (only a couple of dozen or so - but that's normal) and 4 pint cartons.  Morrisons had three 2 pint cartons left at mid-day.  Or rather, two after I'd been there and bought one.

[Butler Henderson]

26 minutes ago, ejstubbs said:

Latest thing to have gone in to inexplicably short supply round here seems to be milk in 2 pint cartons.  Sainsburys had nothing but 1 pint (only a couple of dozen or so - but that's normal) and 4 pint cartons.  Morrisons had three 2 pint cartons left at mid-day.  Or rather, two after I'd been there and bought one.

Quite common in my Sainsburys; Asda also in normal times would often be sold out. Aldi usually has stacks.

[rockershovel]

12 hours ago, Butler Henderson said:

Quite common in my Sainsburys; Asda also in normal times would often be sold out. Aldi usually has stacks.

 

I’ve never understood how supermarkets allocate milk sizes. I’m sure they have their reasons. 

[melmerby]

20 hours ago, ejstubbs said:

Latest thing to have gone in to inexplicably short supply round here seems to be milk in 2 pint cartons.  Sainsburys had nothing but 1 pint (only a couple of dozen or so - but that's normal) and 4 pint cartons.  Morrisons had three 2 pint cartons left at mid-day.  Or rather, two after I'd been there and bought one.

Never had a problem getting 2pt semiskimmed, I've had it every time it's been ordered for home delivery going back to beginning of April

 

One thing I cannot get and have tried 10 times to have delivered is Asda Vegetable Balti from their chilled curry range.

Firstly it was always OOS when I made up my shopping list but for the last 4 or 5 deliveries it was supposedly "in stock" but I never receive it, as when the picker makes up my list for delivery it is always "unavailable"

[ejstubbs]

59 minutes ago, melmerby said:

Never had a problem getting 2pt semiskimmed

 

Nor me before this week.  And it wasn't as if the wheelie cages in the chill cabinet had simply been emptied by other shoppers: the places where there are usually cages full of 2 pint cartons were occupied by cages full of 4 pint cartons.  So, they had plenty of milk, but fairly clearly didn't expect to get any in 2 pint cartons in much of a hurry.  Supply chain issues rather than panic buying, I suspect, especially since Morrisons seemed to be affected as well.

[melmerby]

44 minutes ago, ejstubbs said:

 

Nor me before this week.  And it wasn't as if the wheelie cages in the chill cabinet had simply been emptied by other shoppers: the places where there are usually cages full of 2 pint cartons were occupied by cages full of 4 pint cartons.  So, they had plenty of milk, but fairly clearly didn't expect to get any in 2 pint cartons in much of a hurry.  Supply chain issues rather than panic buying, I suspect, especially since Morrisons seemed to be affected as well.

All my shopping is home delivery so when last time the ordered milk, cheese & chicken (for SWMBO) didn't turn up there was a bit of a panic.

When I phoned once before for a non delivered item the attitude was "tough but we will refund you for the missing item", we don't make special deliveries for missing items.

The second time was much more concilliatory and they called the driver to see whether it was still in the van, when it wasn't they sent him out again with the missing items.

[boxbrownie]

No issues with Milk from ASDA online ever so far but for the last three weeks I have ordered a pack of 75g Aspirin and each time they are in stock until the day of picking, most annoying........had to order 300g and will be chopping them up into fours, other things mostly spirits have been either subbed or different sizes, and almost without fail they come along with the security “tops” still attached, we pointed this out to the driver today and he stated he wouldn’t like to take it back “as it might go missing at the depot” and we wouldn’t get a refund!   WTF?

 

But one upside is I am getting so adept at removing the security tops now I reckon I could make a fortune selling the instructions 

Edited August 5, 2020 by boxbrownie

[newbryford]

On 31/07/2020 at 10:57, petethemole said:

I was told weeks ago by a small builder that the main plasterboard factory had shut down for lockdown.  I had noticed that the Southampton - Mountfield Sidings Gypsum trains weren't running, but they're back now.

 

British Gypsum at Kirby Thore (on the S&C) has been getting 4-5 trainloads per week of gypsum for some time now. They only stopped for about the first 6 weeks of the lockdown.

[Reorte]

On 05/08/2020 at 17:03, newbryford said:

 

British Gypsum at Kirby Thore (on the S&C) has been getting 4-5 trainloads per week of gypsum for some time now. They only stopped for about the first 6 weeks of the lockdown.

 

I wondered whether they were still going at all, since AIUI they mostly came from Drax and I'd wondered whether the massive drop in coal burning had affected that. It was a good sign of life when that flow first started up (must be well over twenty years ago now), the first regular freight on the S&C for years; thankfully more followed.

[newbryford]

6 minutes ago, Reorte said:

 

I wondered whether they were still going at all, since AIUI they mostly came from Drax and I'd wondered whether the massive drop in coal burning had affected that. It was a good sign of life when that flow first started up (must be well over twenty years ago now), the first regular freight on the S&C for years; thankfully more followed.

 

They also received a flow from Fidler's Ferry PS in the closed containers, but the FGDS gypsum stockpile from FFPS was railed to Kirby Thore last last year/early this year in open boxes (GBRF JNA-T). The current flow is imported gypsum via Tees Dock in MBA opens. (Same set of wagons for about 2 years.........)

[spikey]

Hmmm.  Looks like it's time to resurrect this thread ...

[Chrisr40]

Strategic thinking this time  if you cant get loo roll buy imodium.

[MarcD]

Luckily my 3D printer arrived last week so I'm off to buy enough resin to last me for the duration. I've 7 sets of S7 wagon wheels in so I might need to get some more in.

Still got my stock pile of bog roll from last time. Got my food slots book for the next 3 weeks.

Should be ok as long as they don't close the schools down again.

Just in case it's going on for a while I might make myself a bow and some arrows. Off to find some flint and a few twigs.

Marc

[Classsix T]

44 minutes ago, Chrisr40 said:

Strategic thinking this time  if you cant get loo roll buy imodium.

Tissues of lies and paper thin excuses. Loads of that about.

 

Ben Elton.

 

(before I wrote books and musicals for the bourgeoisie, natch) 

[Chrisr40]

More of a shameless plug

[boxbrownie]

Well we were running out of our box of 100 masks anyway........good old Amazon 

[andyman7]

Quick! Stockpile fishplates!

[jbqfc]

shopping tonight in Sainsbury's hardly any milk or pasta all that was left where the more expensive brands 

 

John  

[MarcD]

It's starting again unfortunately this virus doesn't just kill off the stupid. 

Marc

[57xx]

On 21/09/2020 at 15:21, Chrisr40 said:

Strategic thinking this time  if you cant get loo roll buy imodium.

 

Failing that, a bottle of wine. Drink contents, save the cork....

[LBRJ]

Here we go again!

 

I was doing some of the usual online shopping with a very large supermarket this evening, but had to break off to go for a swift pint or two with a friend.

In the hour I was out (about half nine to half ten) almost the entire week of possible deliveries had been booked up...

 

Now I am only after the sort of things that I but Quarterly (got caught out in March with that!) so its not really a problem if they are available now, next week or whenever ish.....

But do some people watch the TV and immediately log onto the internet to buy anything and everything?

[melmerby]

It doesn't help when trash newsrags like the Star start making headlines about it and showing empty shelves.

It's almost as if they're telling the stupid ones it's time to start grabbing stuff.

 

Actually a week ago I couldn't get any dried pasta for my regular online shop from Asda , every variety was OOS. had to buy fresh pasta which they had a few types of.

I assume the early birds had already started stocking up.

 

EDIT

Now Ocado have invited me to book a slot & order stuff (not yet taken up), I might see if I can get some M&S food.

Edited September 22, 2020 by melmerby

[boxbrownie]

7 hours ago, melmerby said:

It doesn't help when trash newsrags like the Star start making headlines about it and showing empty shelves.

It's almost as if they're telling the stupid ones it's time to start grabbing stuff.

 

Actually a week ago I couldn't get any dried pasta for my regular online shop from Asda , every variety was OOS. had to buy fresh pasta which they had a few types of.

I assume the early birds had already started stocking up.

 

EDIT

Now Ocado have invited me to book a slot & order stuff (not yet taken up), I might see if I can get some M&S food.

We had the same issues for our regular booked slot at ASDA at the weekend, had to go for the expensive pasta and no go with toilet rolls, literally.......bl00dy morons!

[spikey]

What's way beyond my understanding is why, after Panic Buying Round One 6 months ago, so many people seem to have reverted to just-in-time shopping and are now bemoaning the fact that they can't get what they want when they want it.  Did they really not see Round Two coming?  Head in the sand or what ... ?