Related Articles
Any one who has been shopping this weekend will probably have been greeted by empty shelves as panic buying gripped the country with the most popular product to be stock piled being toilet roll. Shelves were emptied as soon as stocks were replenished and seeing the empty shelves just made more sane shoppers worried and grabbing spare supplies even if they didn’t yet need them.
There is a natural panic buying spree but the reality is that we shouldn’t be worried as products varying from pasta and rice to baked beans disappeared from Supermarkets. Retailers have been quick to reassure the public as have manufacturers such as Andrex:
We want to reassure everyone that we are working in partnership with retailers to minimise any short-term shortages in shops. Please don’t worry, we continue to manufacture and there are plans in place to ensure a steady supply! #panicbuying #coronavirusuk #toiletrollpanic
— Andrex UK (@AndrexUK) March 10, 2020
The major supermarkets released a joint letter in partnership with the British Retail Consortium calling for shoppers to act fairly and only take what they need. Clearing the shelves just leaves the more vulnerable in society without as they will often live from week to week and whilst you may be rubbing your hands (and bum) with glee having stock piled six month’s worth of toilet roll, others who genuinely only buy a couple of rolls a week are left with none.
“Retailers are working incredibly hard to keep shops well stocked and deliveries running as smoothly as possible. In the face of unprecedented demand as a result of coronavirus, food retailers have come together to ask their customers to support each other to make sure everyone can get access to the products they need”
– Helen Dickinson, OBE, Chief Executive, British Retail Consortium
“There’s plenty of product in the supply chain, there’s plenty of food at Tesco and other supermarkets, and I don’t think anybody needs to panic buy. We, and I’m sure our competitors, are re-filling our supply chains are rapidly as ever we can.”
– John Allan, Chairman, Tesco
Even Supermarket delivery slots are filling up and shoppers will discover that they may have to wait a week or more for their next online order to be delivered and, at least for those fulfilled from local stores, may discover some products are exchanged for the nearest equivalent or are missing when their delivery arrives. There are also common sense buying limits being put in place by many stores.
As with couriers and the Royal Mail, Supermarket delivery drivers are now unlikely to enter your home and will deliver your shopping to your doorstep for you to take inside. They are also ceasing to collect delivery signatures and instead will sign acceptance of your order on your behalf.
It is likely that many will turn to online grocery shopping, perhaps for the first time or to arrange deliveries for elderly relatives over the next weeks and months. Amazon Pantry is likely to see a boost as are the Supermarkets themselves. If you are going to order online, allow more time than normal and don’t leave your order until the day before you need delivery.
Supermarket letter on panic buying
All the major supermarkets, Sainsbury’s, Co-Op, Lidl, Tesco, Aldi, Waitrose, M&S, Asda, Iceland, Morrisons, Occado and Costcutter have come together to write to their customers around the UK with the letter being published in adverts in national newspapers this Sunday and Monday.
