Continued rant

[mickam]

Some of you may have seen my post yesterday about those people who have been stripping the supermarkets bare without any thought for others, particularly those who are more vulnerable or at high risk, in fact a surprising number of people replied and most seem to have had similar experiences which prompted me to continue my rant. Apart from anything else it gives me something to do.

Having found it impossible to get a home delivery date from any of the major supermarkets I found myself forced to visit my local Tesco this morning. The store in question is one of Tesco's biggest, a flagship store. I was met by a scene of utter desolation. There must be tens of thousands if not a hundred thousand or more square feet of shelving in the store yet it was virtually empty of stock, vegetables, meat products, bread or rolls, tinned and frozen goods, everything gone. Yet there were still crowds of people roaming the aisles arguing over the last few bits. It was a bit like watching vultures squabbling over the last few scraps of a carcass.

I believe the senior management of our major supermarkets must take a great deal of responsibility. They talked a good game about limiting what we would be allowed to buy but, in reality they did virtually nothing. There is no excuse, they could see this happening both here and overseas, the omens were all there. They had time to put sensible measure in place but they didn't. No doubt they will still be counting their bonuses which will also probably be increased because the poor little lambs had to deal with such a stressful situation, and all those horrid, common customers.

In addition I think that give the retailers failure the government should have stepped in with some sort of rationing directive to the supermarkets enforceable by law. After all they have given themselves some very draconian emergency powers and, like the supermarkets senior management, they had sufficient warning.

This is just my opinion and I'm sure others may disagree but, when all is said and done, I can't help but think that much of this was avoidable.

[Hidden]

Totally agree

[charisma]

They have put measures in place now; I received an email yesterday that sets them out:

No more multibuy offers

No staying open 24hours

Special slot 9-10am on Mon, Wed and Thursday for older and/or vulnerable

Nobody allowed to buy more than three of any pack/item

No deli counters for loose meats etc, nor salads bar

They ask everyone to respect this but that is where it is weak... panicking people don’t respect anything or anyone.

One bit of advice I read, not from Tesco, is to shop at little local greengrocers etc who will struggle through this time.

My son went out for bread yesterday but none...

I told him to try Poundland first thing tomorrow, or Iceland, rather than bigger supermarkets.

Now I hear that people are buying up freezers too, to stash their loot. Bad.

[wishbone]

Nothing like a good rant!...you will have to go some to catch up with me!

Apparently when the staff have been asking panic buyers to return excessive goods to the shelves they are getting a load of abuse. Agree that much of the responsibility lies with the supermarkets and as mentioned in one of my replies to your previous post, they need to stop rubbing their hands together over the money that's rolling in and start to dig into their fat profits by employing some proper security. They could even have hit squads in waiting fully kitted out with helmets, flak jackets and armed with pepper sprays to deal with the raving sociopathic type of toilet roll hoarder!

How's that for a rant!

[Mmrr in reply to wishbone]

That was a really fabulous rant....I like it

[wishbone in reply to Mmrr]

Thanks Mm, I'm already working on the next one.

[charisma in reply to wishbone]

😃😂🤣

[wishbone in reply to charisma]

Oye charisma, I'm blinkin' serious!

[charisma in reply to wishbone]

That response was for post above your last one.. it is serious if people are left without. Not laughing at that at all.

[wishbone in reply to charisma]

I'm only kidding, I'm not serious about the hit squads but I am about the rest.

[charisma in reply to wishbone]

I was laughing at the expressive way you ranted. I’m sure you’re not serious about hit squads.. but I’d certainly not be upset if someone’s gigantic stash in four freezers was hijacked one dark night. 🙂

[wishbone in reply to charisma]

Me neither.

[Hidden in reply to wishbone]

Go wishbone your on a roll 😂

[wishbone in reply to Hidden]

I'm just biding my time.

[Pippy25 in reply to wishbone]

I think that was a jolly good rant wishbone and think like you there really needs to be some kind of security now as things are getting out of hand. I recall once when I was on holiday in The Lakes a supermarkets electronic tills went down and the customers who were in the shop and had their goods on the conveyor belt or who were at the tills were asked to stay and the police came and manned the door not allowing any others in. We were then told they would estimate our shopping bill and could then leave. Mine was a bargain I have to say! So I think now it is time for security and again I saw on the news the intensive care nurse who was in distress as she could not get any food after a gruelling shift at work. It begs belief that we are relying on these people to look after us in our hour of need, but there are those who are selfishly robbing the food off them for their own greed and then expect to be looked after by these hard working people. When they are only looking after 'number one' and leaving those who need nutrition to keep them going and caring for the sick without . I've been thanking shop assistants, the pharmacists, posties and those who are doing their best to care and provide for us, yet my last shop I did on Monday when I thanked a shop assistant he turned round and said your the only one who has thanked me as all I've had is a shed load of abuse. How sad is that......ooh now I'm having a rant too!

[wishbone in reply to Pippy25]

Can't find anything to disagree with there Pippy and there's nothing like a good rant! As you know I've been just a 'tad' sceptical with how this crisis would be handled and if anything it's turning out worse than I thought. Some of the things I'm hearing mainly on TV are really depressing, and I'm as careful as I can be about the sources being reliable . The footage from Italian hospitals is very disturbing. As for the behaviour at supermarkets, they seem to be waiting for government to act. Now while goverment are responsible for many things they have more than enough to do without trying to sort that lot out as well. As I previously mentioned ...it's time supermarkets started dipping into their very deep pockets and take steps to try and sort tings out for themselves. Otherwise it won't be gunfight at the OK Corral that we spoke of, but fist fights at the Tesco Car Park , which has probably happened more than once already.

Wifey has just gone out for 5 and wishbone is taking a break from all the Coronavirus stuff and chilling to some David Bowie currently playing on the turntable.

Be sure to look after yourself Pippy.

[Pippy25 in reply to wishbone]

And you too wishbone/aka Starman.....David Bowie?

[wishbone in reply to Pippy25]

[Dobcross1]

I totally agree but be prepared to be shouted down as I was when I made this point (though less well than you!) a couple of days ago! Well said.

[Pat9442]

Our little village shops are being amazing. They Offer to deliver, reserve bread for the following day in the bakers, the butcher has meat and the Coop has toilet rolls. Coop also setting 9.30-10.30 for elderly and disabled only - which is better than going to Sainsburys at 7am! I tried that this morning. Never again! Never seen such bad manners by the elderly (and I am 78).

Hats off to the little shops who after all are probably those in most danger of going under

[Mmrr in reply to Pat9442]

Our wee village CO OP is fully stocked, other than hand sanitizer (!).

I don't go anymore but my partner was in yesterday and said the shelves were full.

The big tesco had lots of empty shelves.

[springcross in reply to Pat9442]

Fully agree about Sainsbury's.

[charisma]

I get Paracetamol on prescription and have not over requested to build a supply.

It seems the panic is worse in some regions/cities than others too.

I have a few friends/family who are willing to get stuff for me but I slowly built a small supply since Dec.

Fresh meats and fruit and veggies are what I don’t have much of, and with no store cupboard or garage, and a small freezer, I hope we can still find those items somewhere.

The poor staff everywhere must be stressed out!

I also bought some bags of dried fruit, and almonds, from Amazon; no more than usual though. I always buy those in large bags to last as I cannot shop for much myself, and now not going to shop for foods myself but depending on others.

I hope you find what you need and get help when needed too. Very difficult times.

[wishbone]

My son went to Asda for our shopping today and although the shelves were not as empty as some he's seen, the situation was still pretty grim and there were a few items, mostly tinned stuff, we had to go without.

[wishbone]

Not sure, I don't think so, but we only did a smallish shop.

[charisma]

I’d do the same with Paracetamol. Are you on biologic drug? I am, so trying to not go to any shops since yesterday. I got some mini chicken fillets in M&S two days ago but all mince packs gone, along with loo rolls. What’s the connection?!

If necessary, I can use some dry azuki and canned black beans I bought months ago too.

I also bought three cans of soup and three of cooked curries earlier this year.. I hope that is adequate. If not, might just buy liver which is less popular!

We would manage somehow. I hope you can too.

[springcross]

We experienced something similar ourselves today at a Sainsbury's store (not as big at the Tesco store you mentioned though).

[Fruitandnutcase]

Husband was in our local Tesco the other night when a guy next to him was trying to buy four packs of shrink wrapped bottles of hand wash - the assistant who had been shelving had gone away and left them where she had been working. Along comes the moron and helps himself. When he got to the checkout the member of staff took all but one bottle off him.

Next morning - he went back to get us a chicken because according to the butcher there were none because people had been buying six at a time (why you have to ask?) anyway on his way out there was a lot of screaming and yelling at the self check out as an assistant removed multiple large packs of loo rolls and left the customer with single pack of 24. In the end the security guard stood over the woman as she finished her shopping and escorted her out of the store.

He’s going shopping tomorrow- we don’t need much but it will be interesting to see if he can get anything

[Pippy25]

I think I wrote in another post that it appears round here that they've stripped the shelves of tins, pasta, loo rolls and have moved onto the 'I don't know what it is but I'll have it anyway' stage. As you never know when I will need that Glade plug in or those 50 cans of Pledge. So worry not you may have breathing problems but it's fine as look I got the last Glade plug in and my home smells of Wild Orchid and my coffee tables been polished to an inch of it's life! I'm glad not to be an onlooker/ terrified shopper to any more to this greed.

[Fruitandnutcase in reply to Pippy25]

You’ve summed them up perfectly - even made me laugh. ‘I don’t know what it is but I’ll have it anyway.’

My husband has just said that ‘they’re like locusts and how long can they keep doing it for’.

He got what we needed it fitted in a hand basket and he used the basket check out but said by the time he left the store it was filling up fast - lots of couples with a giant trolley each.

I just don’t understand people but I suppose if they shop like that over Christmas when the shops are only closed for a day it’s only to be expected - after all its nearly Easter and the shops will close on Good Friday and Easter Sunday. Better get stocked up

[Pippy25 in reply to Fruitandnutcase]

And sadly to say like Christmas a lot of stuff in particular fresh foods such as eggs, fruit and veg will end up in the bin as they are over faced with things and can't be bothered to utilise or be resourceful with what they've got. I buy what I need but if there is something I haven't used I will make soups and veggie stews as a matter of course to freeze and any fruit I stew for another day and also I still get my nutrients. Anyway if a packet of budgie seed for the bird they haven't got and a some Shake and Vac for their laminated flooring makes them happy so be it. I'm alright Jack is their motto.

[Fruitandnutcase in reply to Pippy25]

Exactly! Bet they don’t eat half of it.