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Panic Shopping

March 5th, 2020 at 08:25 pm

Wednesdays are normally our grocery shopping days. Mostly because I am retired and I don't have to shop on the weekends or evenings, and also because Wednesday is when the ads come out for the new sales. We usually go about mid morning before there is a huge crowd except during holidays and snow forecasts where people panic.

Well, I'm wondering if panic is the operative word as far as the Coronavirus. Yesterday our Aldi was really, really busy. It normally isn't when we go. Kroger wasn't as busy, but did have a few more than usual. I had my list of our regular stuff we buy every week at each store. I did need another item that made us go down and aisle at Kroger that I don't normally frequent. It wasn't for hand sanitizer or wipes, but it was the same aisle. And there, at Kroger, was an empty shelf and the labels indicated it was for hand sanitizer. A friend in a state over from us said she was at a Dollar store and the lady in front of her had cleaned out the shelves of cleaning supplies. Another friend who is visiting a friend out east said the stores were empty of cleaning supplies and toilet paper.

Yesterday the market was doing well and they said Campbell Soup was showing a gain because people were buying lots of soup and also canned goods.

I sort of wonder about folks. Do they like reacting to drama? I'm not discounting the seriousness of the flu or the Coronavirus, but seriously, do these people not have anything at home? I think most of us at SA buy when things are on sale and stock up. I know I do. Plus I did a lot of canning last summer and fall so I have things in reserve. I buy hand sanitizer when it is cheaper and usually keep one on hand simply because I'm like that. I'm certainly not going to run to the store and buy them out. Then Kroger put in their website that due to demand, only 5 cleaning items and cold and flu items per order. I wonder if that drove up demand at all.

Sometimes I think the fable about the grasshopper and the ant rings true yet again. Who wins? Probably the retailer.

Posted in Shopping | 7 Comments »

7 Responses to “Panic Shopping”

  1. Wink Says:
    March 5th, 2020 at 11:30 pm 1583451057
    1583451057

    I started building a stockpile of household products last year in anticipation of retirement. I coupon, and only stock up on products I use, and only when I can get them really cheaply using sales and coupons. I went into my favorite CVS yesterday and noticed they are wiped out on hand sanitizer, and very low on many cleaning products.

  2. My English Castle Says:
    March 6th, 2020 at 01:38 am 1583458715
    1583458715

    It's a little wacky out there.

  3. creditcardfree Says:
    March 6th, 2020 at 01:42 am 1583458948
    1583458948

    News outlets sell fear, so yes, they have created panic on those that fall for that kind of thing. Honestly, we don't stock up until hurricane season and we actually have soap, which is effective. My husband and girls will all be flying on airplanes in March. We have no fear of this.

  4. Lucky Robin Says:
    March 6th, 2020 at 04:21 am 1583468467
    1583468467

    I'm always prepared with a 3 month supply of food and a 2 month supply of paper products, but the day the first person died in my state I quietly started filling in any gaps in my preps. I had DH buy a few extra boxes of cold meds and pain relievers, some extra toilet paper and tissue, a couple bottles of hand sanitizer, and a couple cases of water, and renewed any prescriptions I could early. I also got antisepctic hospital grade hand wipes (1000 count) on Amazon because the stores are running out of the ones they place by the doors so you can clean off your cart handle (and Costco doesn't even have them) so I carry a few in my purse. I am immune compromised with two autoimmune diseases and one systemic disease. I cannot afford to take chances. Especially now that there are ten dead in my state and they are putting a soft quarantine on King county (the one with Seattle in it), which means anyone who can work from home does, do not go out if you can at all avoid it, and stay out of areas where there are crowds. They are cancelling big events that involve a lot of people. So many people here are sick with the symptoms but they have no test kits. I haven't seen anything on the media that actually comes close to describing how things really are here.

    I catch everything so I have to hedge my bets. But I am not panic buying, just common sense stocking up. I just went through a month where I only left my house to go to a doctor's office. I didn't go grocery shopping because I couldn't. But the CDC has been telling us in WA to stock up on supplies since the day the second person died.

  5. rob62521 Says:
    March 6th, 2020 at 04:32 am 1583469127
    1583469127

    Lucky Robin, I would not consider you a panic shopper at all. You have very valid reasons. I'm talking about people who go to a store and clear out the shelves or people who buy just to buy. Hope you stay well and safe.

  6. Lucky Robin Says:
    March 6th, 2020 at 04:53 am 1583470422
    1583470422

    I didn't think you did. Smile I think a lot of people are because they don't normally keep in more than a few day's worth or a week's worth of food.

  7. CB in the City Says:
    March 6th, 2020 at 01:15 pm 1583500523
    1583500523

    Preparedness is not the same as panic. These panic shoppers who clear the shelves are displaying not only their lack of preparedness, but their selfishness. Glad I don't need hand sanitizer! But it looks like I won't be able to donate a bottle to the election site come March 17.

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