Coronavirus (COVID-19) Panic Buying?

lovetravellingoz

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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.
 
What are people's observations at the supermarkets? It seems that old people are disproportionately represented in store, irrespective of whether I go in the morning or afternoon. Thought they would be the ones having self imposed lockdowns.
 
What are people's observations at the supermarkets? It seems that old people are disproportionately represented in store, irrespective of whether I go in the morning or afternoon. Thought they would be the ones having self imposed lockdowns.
That is not my experience. The customer mix seems normal to me. Maybe it depends on your location. I am in Sydney lower north shore.
 
Also hadn't noticed any shift in demographics. But random absences from shelves. Yesterday plenty meat, no chicken.
 
+3 for no observable demographic change. But lacking in chicken meat (while the butcher outside had plenty), and the toilet paper aisle was completely cleared out. In year 3 of this pandemic!
 
+3 for no observable demographic change. But lacking in chicken meat (while the butcher outside had plenty), and the toilet paper aisle was completely cleared out. In year 3 of this pandemic!

Yes because logistics are so disrupted, big bulky items are first to go OOS yada yada, it’s not panic buying it’s people MIA from work. Will all sort itself in a few weeks.
 
On Tuesday in Launceston at Woolworths they were very light on the meat shelves especially lamb.

Since then a couple of local butchers who have their own properties have advertised on TV that they won't run out of any cuts of meat.

So Friday at Coles meat stocks plentiful.

As to Demographics I thought there were less older folks. Though the public here are really in fear. Letters to the editor calling for the border to be closed as well as a prominent pollie calling for the border to be closed and go back into lockdown.
 
I have not noticed any change in demographic. My burb has a lot of retirees and they all seem to be still out and about (elderly men consistently being the worst at wearing masks or wearing them correctly since day 1).

Barista did say foot traffic down slightly this week, but suspect that has more to do with more people being back at work, i know i struggled to escape teams meetings a few time this weeks to get up to the shops for my coffee.

Yesterday toilet paper plentiful, meat and dairy were patchy in Coles, but all the butchers on main street had ample stock. I dont think its panic buying (apart from the RATs, oximeters and Pain relief), I think reduced staffing and supply chain issues.
 
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On Tuesday in Launceston at Woolworths they were very light on the meat shelves especially lamb.

Since then a couple of local butchers who have their own properties have advertised on TV that they won't run out of any cuts of meat.

So Friday at Coles meat stocks plentiful.

As to Demographics I thought there were less older folks. Though the public here are really in fear. Letters to the editor calling for the border to be closed as well as a prominent pollie calling for the border to be closed and go back into lockdown.
What a sad sorry state of affairs on all accounts.
 
What are people's observations at the supermarkets? It seems that old people are disproportionately represented in store, irrespective of whether I go in the morning or afternoon. Thought they would be the ones having self imposed lockdowns.
Are you shopping in the early morning? I’ve seen the elderly tend to dominate in the early morning regularly.
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Yes because logistics are so disrupted, big bulky items are first to go OOS yada yada, it’s not panic buying it’s people MIA from work. Will all sort itself in a few weeks.
Weeks??? What’s will people do without their regular roast/fruit/insert perishable item that’s low on stock......
 
Are you shopping in the early morning? I’ve seen the elderly tend to dominate in the early morning regularly.
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Weeks??? What’s will people do without their regular roast/fruit/insert perishable item that’s low on stock......
Live like it's the 90s, that's what!
 
Are you shopping in the early morning? I’ve seen the elderly tend to dominate in the early morning regularly.
Early morning, mid morning, noon, after lunch, all the same. Don't seem to see many younger people around. Maybe they've gone to the beach with the hot weather in Melbourne.
 
What a difference a day makes at Coles, just back from taking my parents shopping.

Fruit and Veg were plentiful, but there was virtually no meat at all a couple of shrink wrapped roasts and pre-prepared rib kits.

Absolutely no chicken breast or thigh meat, no mince of any type (pork, beef, lamb, chicken), no steaks or sausages (except fake-meat vegan plant based ones). Zero spakling water exccept for Pelligrino, no tissues, no pre-packaged bacon or lunch meats.

The butcher of course was able to supply all we needed meat wise, and I feel good supporting independent local business.
 
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What a sad sorry state of affairs on all accounts.

You have to take into account that Tasmania has a very old population, high amounts of people on benefits and indexes highly on heaps of vulnerability index’s for disease etc etc
 
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It seems to my eyes in the last few weeks that IGA stores seem to have plentiful supplies of everything
 
It seems to my eyes in the last few weeks that IGA stores seem to have plentiful supplies of everything
Lucky. Our last Woolworths order (Western Suburbs Brisbane) only filled 40% of what we wanted. Not available frozen meals, tuna, pasta, tissues, toilet paper, yoghurt, soups, porridge... and more.

Annoyingly, some items are marked "in store only". What? Why can't the personal shopper pick it up off the shelf rather than force people into their shop to collect items along with Covid!

Also one puts in an order for say 35 items, it's accepted to add items to the order and on final payment/checkout 50% of them are now not available. Terribe IT system that only know when you come to pay that items are not available. Very frustrating.
 
It seems to my eyes in the last few weeks that IGA stores seem to have plentiful supplies of everything
Is that because IGA tends to have a lot more local products. Certainly that is the case here in Tasmania.
 
Is that because IGA tends to have a lot more local products. Certainly that is the case here in Tasmania.

In meat, I understand they often have arrangements for meat supply with local butchers. Often the quality suggests that they do anyway.
 
In meat, I understand they often have arrangements for meat supply with local butchers. Often the quality suggests that they do anyway.
It appears so.I like sausages and buy from either Casalinga or St George Square butchers. Those are the 2 suppliers of sausages for the IGA stores here in Launceston that I have visited.
 

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