Have You Noticed You Are Spending More Times at The Supermarket?

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  gromit on 04/04/2020 - 19:45

  Significantly less time for me. I go in on a mission, I know exactly what I want, I don't browse and I get extras of things like Milk, cheese and eggs to reduce trips back (usually would go daily of every second day, now every 4 or 5 days and usually done in 5 mins, go at the quietest times when possible).

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  jkcat on 04/04/2020 - 21:10

  Considering it's mostly a hit & miss trip to complete my shop list I tend to avoid supermarkets unless I'm sure that certain items I need are definitely there. Therefore less time for me.

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    John Kimble on 06/04/2020 - 08:36

    +1

    How can you be sure?

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  Yorkshire-Man on 04/04/2020 - 21:31

  +2

  It's a nightmare right now in the UK. My brother lined up for four hours to get into Asda this week, they let 20 people in when it opens & then one in & one out… absolute nightmare.

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  cdaddy on 05/04/2020 - 00:47

  How are they taking advantage? Some of the limits are ridiculous and have been applied lazily. The limit on tin/packaged fruit for example where the limit is 2 for all of it wether it be 2 small purée pouches or 2 large cans of peaches

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    popsiee on 05/04/2020 - 07:50

    Same with long life milk . There a big difference between 2 X 1 litres vs 2 x 2 litres. Very rare to see the latter . If they put some thought it would be a max on litres and save people from doing more trips. Producers need to wake up with all the fresh milk rotting that more long life production is required for the times . Finally supermarkets need to join the party by providing more shelf space for long life milk and adjust to the lack of demand for fresh milk.

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    kaleidoscope on 05/04/2020 - 08:36

    This too…
    Had to revisit store as they had ridiculous combination limits set in place. It’s not taking advantage but rather due to panic buyers madness

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  TheBird on 05/04/2020 - 07:34

  +2

  Less time per visit, but visiting more frequently due to supermarket being out of stock so often.

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  kaleidoscope on 05/04/2020 - 08:32

  We usually shop once a week. Eventhough we’ve been mindfully shopping these days have noticed the total times have increased due to long queues at the cashier.

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  Vote for Pedro on 05/04/2020 - 08:36

  +2

  I’ve noticed fewer half price specials at woolies. Not scientific assessment, but more my feeling.

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    smartazz104 on 06/04/2020 - 17:06

    +1

    Supermarkets have no incentive to offer specials seeing as idiots are buying everything up.

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      spc12go on 06/04/2020 - 17:35

      You will see special on fresh produce such as mince and meat, milk as they have managed to flatten the curve.

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  Niko123456 on 05/04/2020 - 08:56

  -3

  gonna sound so entitled here.

  but can we stop with the "vulnerable" people thing now?

  i mean, my mother-in-law is over 60 so therefore gets first pickings to go hoard. she's perfectly fit and healthy.

  people on the dole get the same.

  now people can show someone else's card.

  and now they're gonna bring back delivery… to these groups of people.

  I wouldn't mind except I can't bloody buy the things I need for my family. We've been so desperate for toilet paper and basics and thought we were being so kind by not indulging in the hoarding and panic buying.. but for what? So we can constantly miss out to dole bludgers and bored 60 year olds.

  why not reward the loyal customers? Coles was happy to tell me I was in the top 1% of flybuys in my area last year. Loyalty goes both ways Coles…

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    Herbse on 05/04/2020 - 10:58

    Can you link to where people on welfare get special access to groceries like the elderly? I've not seen this anywhere so far. Thanks.

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      Niko123456 on 05/04/2020 - 11:09

      Health care card.

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        Niko123456 on 05/04/2020 - 11:10

        -1

        But also, define "elderly". People over 60? Rubbish..

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          spc12go on 05/04/2020 - 11:59

          +3

          @Niko123456: I would assume it’s for over 65. And they are a lot more vulnerable to the disease than us.

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    Laziofogna on 06/04/2020 - 17:12

    -1

    you forgot to hail the fuhrer at the end

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  tomlikesbeetroot on 05/04/2020 - 12:08

  +2

  I've stopped going to coles/woolies due to stock shortages.
  Local butchers have been fully stocked for meat, asian grocers have had plenty of stock of eggs/milk/cat food which were the main things I was struggling to get at coles/woolies. The local chemist is able to take orders for hand sanitizer. All of them much less crowded the coles/woolies.

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  BargainBobcat on 05/04/2020 - 15:25

  +4

  They need a neon sign saying out of Toilet Paper when the shelves are empty so I don't have to go in and check every time.

  On Friday at 7:30am I went to a Westfield , first to Coles (The security guard stopped me and I had to wait until 8am as I don't have a Senior or Health card. This was also the case at Woolworth's in the same complex.

  I watched people go out with their trolleys with what looked like large packs (probably the 24 packs). I entered the store at 8am and None (no TP).
  I went to the Woolworths and the line was so long at 8am that I was sure it would be out by the time I got in.

  I then went to a Coles 10 mins away - none
  I drove another 10 mins to another Coles - none

  I went 15 mins drive to a Woolworths - none
  At this time it was 8:40am and I then went to an Aldi nearby. I was the third in line, and they opened at 9am. People were polite, the security guard was polite and it was no effort to go in at 9 and finally buy a roll of Toilet paper (8 rolls but equivalent to 16 given the length).

  Here are my observations and thoughts (And to be clear, I have nothing against older people or ones in need). And to tie this in with this thread, I have been going to more shops on more days to look for that pot of gold (Toilet Paper)…..

  Problem:
  I believe the 7-8am times for Seniors and Health card holders could be being exploited.
  Families could be using their parents cards to say they are buying for their parents but keeping it for themselves.
  Seniors could be buying it for their families (do they really need 24 packs if it is just 1-2 people?)
  The second option would be worse as the older folk should be staying at home, not just going to the shops for other people)

  Possible solution:
  1. Have one week on and one week off for the senior/health card holder times. Really, The hot items could be purchased every two weeks.
  2. Stock smaller rolls (not the big packs) and keep the limit to 1. This would mean twice the numbers could purchase them. Watching the trolley's going out with big packs was frustrating.

  Ok, I have had my rant. Hopefully this panic buying will stop soon!! To tie this back to the thread, I have been doing more trips to the supermarkets just to get that roll of TP , well to see an empty shelf…

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    tomlikesbeetroot on 05/04/2020 - 17:06

    Stock smaller rolls (not the big packs) and keep the limit to 1
    Completely agree. Recently I ended up buying a 24 pack because that was all that was available. We have a bidet and just need the TP for drying, so I've now got a years supply when I usually just buy a 4/6 pack.

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      BargainBobcat on 05/04/2020 - 19:45

      Hey @tomlikesbeetroot, my father mentioned that Sunday's a free for all , when I need more TP, I might go on a Sunday at 7:30 and see what happens.
      I tried a bidet when I visited Japan in 07 at a hotel and was a strange experience. I suppose when we have showers it is no different to washing yourself and it is probably more of a mind thing. I would defiantly plumb up the warm water though lol. If things keep going they way they are, I am going to seriously consider one. Do you know where to buy one?

      Regarding your name, have you ever tried a chicken, cheese and beetroot on a toastie?

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        spc12go on 05/04/2020 - 20:39

        +1

        Electric bidet, they are great and you can get them here from many places. It come with a small heating element and heats water up as it coming out. Hence it needs to be connected to the main.

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      Laziofogna on 06/04/2020 - 17:15

      You can dry your ass with a cotton towel, no need of paper

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    bmerigan on 05/04/2020 - 22:15

    +1

    FYI there's multiple deliveries during the day. Give up on the 'first customer' thing.
    I've seen freshly stocked toilet paper at around 2pm at our local supermarkets.

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  CheeryCheapskate on 05/04/2020 - 16:33

  I'll just go to Aldi but I can't help to think that massive groups of queues outside of Woolies/Coles in cold weather might be concerning.
  Also a huge thank you to the many working in our essential retails and grocery stores; they have a hard time dealing with hoarders and it's effects and don't get thanked enough!

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  iDroid on 05/04/2020 - 21:18

  +1

  Blaming "panic buying" seems to be a simple way to point blame at someone without having any substantive meaning or helping the situation.

  There's no way to quantify what "panic buying" means but I'm pretty sure it conjures images of super preppers filling trollies and station wagons with all the stuff we're wanting to buy but can't. But I don't think there is much of this panic buying going on. There absolutely are some who may have done this, but I haven't witnessed this to any degree myself. This idea is supported by the fact that limits have been applied and we're still falling short.

  Ignoring toilet paper since the media hooha has/had caused a run on it, here's my take on why there's supply issues right now.

  We're being told to (and I agree we should): "stay home", "don't go out unless absolutely necessary", "don't be in a group more than 2", etc, etc.

  To minimise your chance of exposure (and indirectly, your family's exposure) you need to minimise social contact. In my household right now, shopping is the number 1 social activity (sad I know) - our only known chance of exposure is getting our groceries or from our letterbox.

  So it makes sense that many households are (rightfully) trying to minimise the number of visits to the shops, hence they'd be try to purchase something like 1 - 4 weeks worth of essential items.

  Of this group, some would normally shop 1 - 2 times a week, but some would have shopped 3 -5 times a week. This increase has caused a surge in demand which the supply is still fighting to fill, it's a relationship that takes time to equalise.

  Then there's also 45-65% or so (can't recall the exact number range) drop in orders from takeaway/restaurants/etc. This supply needs to move to the supermarkets now and takes time (where it can) as people need to replace these purchases from the supermarket.

  This adds up to a huge increase in demand and empty shelves. No huge hoarding/prepping/panic required, just grabbing "a bit more than usual" will cause this when everyone's been told to minimise social contact.

  Hand sanitiser is a special case since there's a whole new demand for this that didn't exist 3 months ago. I have not purchased hand sanitiser for at least 8 years. I only ever purchased it while I had a premature baby to care for (he's all grown up now). But I expect there are a lot of households just like ours that did not buy sanitiser regularly. But at the onset of this outbreak (3-4 weeks ago for myself) I purchased 3 * 500ml bottles (one for myself, one for my wife and one for my parents). Add up all the households who did similar and you instantly have a demand you can't satisfy without additional production - this takes time, no panic/hoarding/etc required.

  I think that "panic buying" as it's being thrown around as cause for the covid-19 induced shortages would be more accurately described as "taking the required action to achieve what we've been ordered to do" and is not the conjured up idea of super preppers filling trollies and emptying our stores daily.

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    nickj on 06/04/2020 - 15:14

    +2

    I completely agree. There's just people needing more from supermarkets because they're at home and cooking at home, instead of being at workplaces & eating out, PLUS we were told by the government to stock up with 2 weeks worth of food (we did 2 weeks frozen, 1 week fresh, and we fully intend on eating everything we bought, and have been doing so for the past 10 days). And we're the same for hand santitizer and disposable gloves - would never buy these before, but would like to buy some now (and cannot get some). So it's a shift in demand to single-store supermarkets + increase in demand for some new items + a large bring-forward of demand = shortages in supermarkets ensues, without no foul play or panic buying required to explain it.

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  neonlight on 06/04/2020 - 13:07

  From today for sure, thanks for limited people in store whoever thought of that idea rather than wearing masks and go in

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  DiscoJango on 06/04/2020 - 15:10

  Seems that coles staff are loving all this attention. At my local they are all high and mighty now, staring you down like your a thief. Smiles and customer service are non existent.

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    smartazz104 on 06/04/2020 - 17:07

    Maybe it's just your local area.

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      Munki on 06/04/2020 - 19:49

      Maybe it's just him.

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        Matt P on 15/04/2020 - 23:46

        Maybe its Maybelline

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  Laziofogna on 06/04/2020 - 17:08

  I go everyday hoping to find tp and handwash, no success in 5 weeks now, and since I am there I buy the minimum allowed of peeled tomatoes, flour, napkins.

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    spc12go on 06/04/2020 - 17:30

    +1

    You need to go early. I found some at Aldi and Woolworths over the weekend. Was there at opening.

    I find my local IGA has most of the stings available not as much choice but it beats Coles, woolies and Aldi for now. In terms of stock.

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