Shopping List for COVID-19 Panic Buying

LAsashoryu on 27/02/2020 - 12:06

Apparently some people in Australia have started stockpiling for the end times that's somehow to be brought about by the low case fatality rate infection Covid-19.

So in the interests of maximising the survival rate of the Ozbargain community (think of a world repopulated exclusively by Ozbargainers), perhaps we should begin compiling a shopping list for the cost-conscious panic buyer.

What products should we be stockpiling?

I note toilet paper appears to be a valuable commodity in areas affected by the virus.

General Discussion COVID-19

Comments

    • mubd1234 on 01/03/2020 - 19:47

      Is it the general population that's fully into this Coronavirus panic buying? Or is it just the Chinese community doing the stockpiling?

      I'm in Toronto at the moment and it doesn't seem that anyone's really panicking about shortages. Full shelves abound. Quite expensive, but that seems to be the norm.

      • RSmith on 01/03/2020 - 21:06
        +1

        From what I saw today, Chinese people were at the forefront of this. Fully loaded trollies. Pretty sure other people will panic too on seeing the empty shelves.

        • netjock on 02/03/2020 - 12:46
          +6

          Yeah they seem to read trash from WeChat groups and don't know to Google.

          They buy instant noodles too. Probably die due to malnutrition before coronavirus

    • Starlight8 on 02/03/2020 - 11:51
      -1

      What is plain flour used for? I didnt think to get it lol

      • netjock on 02/03/2020 - 12:47

        Make bread?

        • Starlight8 on 02/03/2020 - 15:01

          then we need yeast :)

          • netjock on 02/03/2020 - 15:02
            +1

            @Starlight8: Probably already have a yeast infection. Got it fresh why buy?

          • taitems on 02/03/2020 - 16:35

            @Starlight8: Or you make sourdough from naturally occurring household yeasts!

      • Trioboy on 02/03/2020 - 14:57

        Make Cake

      • [Deactivated] on 02/03/2020 - 22:45

        Make damper?

      • [Deactivated] on 10/03/2020 - 19:10
        +1

        All sorts of cooking, baking, bread???

        "What is plain flour used for" really dude

    • taoz on 02/03/2020 - 20:08

      same in alot of coles and woolies in Melbourne
      Cereal also wiped out.

  • Cluster on 01/03/2020 - 17:54
    +1

    It's good to always be prepared for supply disruptions.

    In September 2016 when South Australia had the state wide blackout and most suburbs of Adelaide were without power for at least 6 hours, there were people calling ABC radio asking if there were any stores open because… "I have nothing to eat in the house right now".

    I think everyone should have the ability to ride out supply disruptions for a few days. It's not expensive. Every poor student's favourite food, instant noodles, are 20c per serve at Coles/Woolworths. You wouldn't want to live on that alone, but it would avoid the situation of 'help! I have nothing in the house to eat!'

  • DASHCAM NOW DUDE on 01/03/2020 - 19:43
    +7

    I laugh at anyone who still uses toilet paper like a Neanderthal.

    3 Seashells all the way.

  • Freakycat on 01/03/2020 - 22:30

    need prescription medicine, cold and flu tablets, Panadol, antibiotics, immune vitamins, cough syrup and chocolate.
    homeschooling for my kids - workbook, paper, toys and veggie garden
    for fresh food - herb pots, seeds, potting mix (seems funny - but not really cos I saw many people in Bunnings Chatswood today buying fruit trees, seeds and stockpile garden soil, dunno why)
    frozen meat to fill my freezer and my sister's spare fridge.
    more toilet paper, cos everyone seems to stock up since Friday in my local petrol station.
    for ladies -pads, 'cos some Japanese ran out of pads and asked for help online.
    pizzas and dumplings - a must.
    last thing- badminton rackets for entertainment, best if I have a ping-pong table.

    • badarz on 01/03/2020 - 22:57

      Not sure about filling freezers… what happens without power?

      • stewy on 03/03/2020 - 01:09

        Buy a generator and a few jerry cans….

        Given I live in cyclone country, I actually had my house pre-wired for a generator.

    • Homr on 02/03/2020 - 09:11

      "for ladies -pads, 'cos some Japanese ran out of pads and asked for help online."

      source?

    • bargainfinder on 02/03/2020 - 10:57
      +1

      Toilet paper is the new currency, thats y everyone is stocking up

  • spychiatrist on 02/03/2020 - 00:33
    +1

    Is it time to panic buy?

    • maxdba on 02/03/2020 - 10:10
      +1

      It is time to buy something more but don't be panic.

  • yjun355 on 02/03/2020 - 08:40

    So, where to buy face masks in australia and which ones?

    • brendanm on 02/03/2020 - 08:55
      +1

      I'll sell you P2 for $10 each lol.

    • Cluster on 02/03/2020 - 11:15
      +1

      You might find some at Bunnings, although the time to stock up was about 5 weeks ago in the Tools section and last week in the Paint/Sandpaper section. There's an obvious high demand for these products.

      I would urge people not to waste these masks. If you're young or middle aged you'll probably get COVID in the next few months. Keep the masks for the elderly and when you have to tend to sick family members in the home.

      • fredk1000 on 02/03/2020 - 23:10

        I was thinking that, if I have to say home for a long time, I was going to paint house and do some home maintenance where I normally do not have time.

  • EightImmortals on 02/03/2020 - 09:10
    +5

    So are we not making fun of preppers any more?

    • Frayin on 02/03/2020 - 11:10
      +5

      I don't prep myself, beyond the usual hurricane relief stuff, which in this case, it's helped be prepared for the possibility of an outbreak.

      In saying that, I've never understood the flak preppers got, better safe than sorry, if I could afford to prep to a higher extent I think I would.

  • Ruriko on 02/03/2020 - 10:16

    May I know if there are ppl panic buying in Brisbane? since I mostly buy groceries online so I don't know the situation in local stores

  • 1bug on 02/03/2020 - 10:36

    It has started…

    'I do feel a bit crazy': Australians stockpiling food to prepare for coronavirus
    https://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/health-and-wellness/i-do-fe…

  • bargainfinder on 02/03/2020 - 11:12

    Happenning right now at costco. Everyman and his dog are buying toilet paper

  • Archi on 02/03/2020 - 11:22

    I was at Costco last Friday, observed the 5 items that pretty much everyone had in their trolley was rice, toilet paper, paper towels, water and cooking oil and not just 1 of each either it was multiples of.

    • Cluster on 02/03/2020 - 11:33

      I don't understand why people are stocking up on water. The average person can get by on about 2L of drinking water per day, not including cooking or anything else. You don't buy water which is bulky, heavy, and will quickly run out. You buy the ability to safely filter water that may be unclean.

  • max900 on 02/03/2020 - 11:24

    Wanted to buy some eggs from costco this morning. There was none. Usually there is 3 or 4 pallets.

    • bargainfinder on 02/03/2020 - 14:39
      +1

      Eggs are still available at crossroads. But there is a limit of 2 per member now

  • netjock on 02/03/2020 - 12:51
    +1

    Starting buying 2 packs of 500g dried pasta every couple of days and a few cans of mixed beans a few weeks ago.

    Looks regular under the radar. Didn't even need to run between entrance to shelf to check out like milk powder daigou clowns.

    Hope I don't need it.

    • Archi on 02/03/2020 - 13:24

      if your gonna eat beans and pasta… better stock up on that toilet paper too LOL :)

      • netjock on 02/03/2020 - 13:45
        +4

        Not if you are on ration buddy. It is only people in this country that think they still need 4k calories sitting around 16 hours a day that will need that much toilet paper.

  • Daniel Plainview on 02/03/2020 - 13:28
    +1

    Honestly at this stage people should not be 'stockpiling' anything. It's exactly this type of panic drive, 'sheeple' approach that ends up causing issues for everyone.

    Really simple, common sense, normal shopping with perhaps an extra focus on adding a few extra long life items is all thats needed at present and even that is stretching things based on NEED.

    Heaven help us if a proper outbreak like of Ebola or Smallpox derivative ever got out as this type of acting without thinking just ended up causing issues for everyone else who's kept their head on level.

    • netjock on 02/03/2020 - 13:46

      It isn't even sheeple. Because you at least take some advice if you are sheeple.

      Why would you buy eggs? it is a perishable and short dated goods. It is amusing we live in the information age and everyone still gets it wrong.

      • Daniel Plainview on 02/03/2020 - 14:06

        Well sheep aren't great independent thinkers, just followers. I wouldn't mind betting some numpty went bananas buying eggs and a bunch of others followed.

        Ah well in their defence, there's too much info around nowadays - and folks seem to have forgotten how to question anything that doesn't seem logical or not quite right.

        And thats not to even begin with the whole don't act like a jerk by buying everything in the entire store….aka have a bit of regard for others, not just yourself.

        As has been shown in all manner of disasters around the world time and time again there's unfortunately a very thin veneer of decency that keeps society from turning into all out 'every man for themselves'. And that veneer wears away under such circumstances alarmingly quickly.

        • netjock on 02/03/2020 - 14:19

          In another 2 months everyone will be trying to swap toilet rolls for food.

          In preparation for that eventuality I am buying up Lindt chocolate. It would be a great swap ratio when everyone is holding toilet rolls and you're the only one with chocolate.

          • Daniel Plainview on 02/03/2020 - 14:41

            @netjock: haha oh chocolate is too mainstream - get yourself some niche stuff and go contrarian like anchovies and wasabi paste - corner the market on that stuff. ;-)

            Funny thing is I would be there's folks who are 'preppers'/survivalists and for them this is the best thing since sliced bread.

            That all said I highly doubt their dreams will come to fruition and this will not end up like an 'The Ant & the Grasshopper' fable:
            https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Ant_and_the_Grasshopper

      • Splashtash on 04/03/2020 - 08:46

        U can preserve eggs for years but highly doubt that’s what they are doing lolz

    • mattythecapybara on 08/03/2020 - 17:36

      Common misconception, Ebola couldn't cause a proper pandemic, it's too deadly.

      Coronavirus sits in the dangerous middle, high enough mortality to kill many millions if it spreads worldwide, yet low enough that there are hordes of people going around saying "oh it's just a flu" and not giving two hoots about spreading it.

  • neosin on 02/03/2020 - 14:45

    Everyone commenting against prepers think they are so smart lol!

    Yet only thinking within the circle!

    You are correct in saying based on the CURRENT FORM of the virus there isn’t a huge threat, but what happens when the virus mutates into a more virulent form? This is a very real and possible scenario.

    The world will go to shit very fast if and when this thing mutates!

    • netjock on 02/03/2020 - 15:05
      +8

      We are not against prepers.

      We're just trying to point out they are preping against the wrong thing.

      If you are buying a 6 month supply of toilet paper you might be preping for Gastroenteritis not Coronavirus.

      • TEER3X on 03/03/2020 - 19:13

        If you are buying a 6 month supply of toilet paper you might be preping for Gastroenteritis not Coronavirus

        Why do I feel like someone's going to steal that and put it in a rap lyric?

    • Oofy Doofy on 03/03/2020 - 01:42
      +2

      Pretty much always become weaker over time, whether by passing through animals and human immune systems, and mutating along with other viruses that travel the world. Just an inherent thing with viruses, fortunately.

    • EDM on 03/03/2020 - 15:20
      +2

      Viruses that mutate typically become less deadly.

      Edit: oops already above.

    • mattythecapybara on 08/03/2020 - 17:39

      The more deadly a virus is, the faster it burns itself out - dead and very sick people don't infect others, and people change their behaviour more.

  • Trioboy on 02/03/2020 - 15:01

    Stock up on Alcohol.

    • netjock on 02/03/2020 - 15:06

      Corona Extra is cheap right now.

      • Trioboy on 02/03/2020 - 15:11

        I was thinking more like hard liquor :)

  • [Deactivated] on 02/03/2020 - 17:42
    +7

    Times like this make you realise how fast society would collapse with a real end times threat

    • outlander on 02/03/2020 - 20:06

      You'd be mistaken to think like that. Our society isn't the best, but it's not going to be destroyed by a single threat. It will keep on limping on, with makeshift fixes to stem the bleeding.

      It would take several large disruptions in succession to really destabilize things to the point of collapse.

      • [Deactivated] on 03/03/2020 - 12:43

        I mean something where we regular citizens had to kill to survive and scavenge.

    • S2 on 03/03/2020 - 09:25

      You certainly are receiving flack for it.
      Any opposing arguments from those that disagree?
      I guess you could say that if absolutely no one had guns, then there wouldn't be a fear of guns. However; a) people do have guns, b) how would the physically weaker defend themselves in a crisis scenario?

      • TEER3X on 03/03/2020 - 19:18
        +1

        This thread is about coronavirus, jawanzar is going off on a massive tangent. Perhaps starting a new thread might be a better idea as it's completely unrelated to the original discussion.

        • S2 on 03/03/2020 - 22:27

          This is a fair reason to neg.
          I like the perspective Jawanzar provided and think there is connection to the thread, but it's clearly not enough to prevent the negs.

    • DingoBilly on 03/03/2020 - 10:54
      +3

      Wut?

      Are you from America or something? Firearms are so limited that it's not really a problem if very few people have them. You seem to think there'd be special groups commanding entire cities with their handful of guns. Not sure why you think our society would go down that pathway.

      • BertieBrown on 03/03/2020 - 15:37

        Well it’s all conjecture on my part obviously, but my mind turns to organised crime groups, and professional/casual/sport shooting enthusiasts, farmers, etc (not to infer in any way that pro, casual, sport, or farm shooters are comparable, or necessarily linked to organised crime), that would collectively have, I would imagine, a large collection of firearms, certainly if small police raids are anything to go by (regarding organised crime) when many assorted weapons have been seized, such as long-guns, modified guns, and hand-guns, as well as large amounts of ammunition.

        The other factor is power projection of firearms, most firearms (though it depends on the type, and caliber), give the user significant advantage over those who have no firearms, where a large area can be covered, and a few well armed, trained, and motivated people can project influence over a larger number of others.

        I’d agree Australia doesn’t have anywhere near the number of circulating legal, and illegal guns, but I disagree in that a small well armed group could not hold, and control a large area.

        I realise it’s all pie in the sky what not on my part, but I do think that if shit really hit the fan, that living without any ability to hunt wild game, protect centralised resources, and people would be a significant problem.

    • 91rs on 03/03/2020 - 11:23
      +1

      Don't know why people are butt-hurt about the logic here.
      Those who have the means to take things from those who can't in any real effective way defend themselves will be easy pickings.
      That is already the case in some parts of the country where you need to have everything under lock and key and put away due to the thieving scum that don't work for anything.
      In another scenario like you outline its a real possibility in some areas that are already violent and unsafe.

      • BertieBrown on 03/03/2020 - 15:54

        I imagine, though I can’t speak for those who’ve downvoted my earlier thoughts, might consider it so called ‘pro-gun rhetoric’, which is sort of is to a degree, I suppose.

        I’m not pro-gun per se, but one of the main reasons that the US was, and is (though it’s become somewhat of a mute point with nuclear weapons) essentially unmanageable as an invaded state is because everyone has a gun.

        But as we’ve seen having ubiquitous guns, and easy access to thereof has been a disaster in the US, in civil, non-emergency situations.

        So for the majority of the time allowing virtually unchecked gun ownership is an enormous societal liability, but, in the event of maintaining the integrity of a society that is beyond the general protection of an overarching government, guns would provide a certain degree of self-direction to those outside the influence of a collapsed government.

        But, in order for people to have guns in a post-society situation they have to possess firearms before hand, which is what I imagine many find unappealing, and I don’t disagree with them. The potential unappealing nature of my scenario is probably compounded in that it’s, largely, a highly unlikely outcome. EG; in reference to Coronavirus, society is not at risk. So, if then everyone has guns, but an end of society scenario just isn’t happening anytime soon, what do we do now that people have guns?

  • bizarredeal on 02/03/2020 - 17:57

    WA is labour day.. the supermarkets feel like Christmas shopping. 1/2 price Glen 20 is getting wiped out off the shelves… I helped a short lady pick a whole carton from the top shelf..

  • frugalftw on 02/03/2020 - 18:12

    Hmmm in theory, it's a really good time to buy food futures, if the population decides to panic, and the market still means anything at that stage, that is.

    • ElWircho on 03/03/2020 - 08:13
      +2

      I don't understand "the market" but less people consume less food, and sick people are also not big eaters, right?

      • frugalftw on 03/03/2020 - 10:21
        +2

        As in, the derivatives market. I don't see this becomes a pandemic, if people are going nuts over fear, it's an opportunity to cash in on the fear.
        Interesting side note: we seem to have too much food as is.

  • happirt on 02/03/2020 - 21:25

    playstation or xbox

  • TEER3X on 02/03/2020 - 21:27
    +10

    low case fatality rate

    This isn't mortal Kombat, it's mortality

    Also, I don't understand why people keep saying that a 1% or 2% death rate is low, it's fking huge considering this is likely going to be declared a pandemic

    Yeah, it's not ebola, but you're not fking likely to get ebola, so stop fking comparing it to ebola

    • biozet on 03/03/2020 - 09:16

      but isn't it a little bit like ebola?

    • BertieBrown on 03/03/2020 - 09:48

      You’re right, 1-2% spread over 7-8 billion is still a huge number of people who will die. But, comparatively, it is a low mortality rate compared with other serious illnesses. Data wasn’t necessarily that great in the early 20th century but Spanish Flu could have been as high as 10%. MERS had much higher mortality rates, but because it killed people quicker it burnt out.

      I understand what you’re saying, but realistically, and 1-2% if it’s that low, I’m not sure experts even agree on that figure, is a low mortality rate.

      I’m not sure people are being callous or uncaring when they speak to mortality but are just calling it for what it is.

    • mattythecapybara on 08/03/2020 - 17:42

      Yeah, 2-3% would be high for a pandemic.

  • BuyoTheCat on 02/03/2020 - 21:54
    +2

    Beans!!!!

    • biozet on 03/03/2020 - 09:16
      +1

      beans are the best…full of nutritional content

      • frugalftw on 03/03/2020 - 10:10

        And farts. Wouldn't want to share a bunker with you guys.

  • benyboy on 02/03/2020 - 22:00
    +1

    I stocked up on way too much toilet paper back in 2015 https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/192255 and it won me 2nd prize in a OzBargain competition and yet to this day its still hasn't been used up i think the supply will still last many more years.

    I saw the empty shelves and i cant help thinking sorry for those who just wanted to buy their regular supply of goods but the panic buyers came in and swooped asap and in bulk thus fueling the media scare mongering even more.

    PS: I did top up my supply with these https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/406507 which arent as good as the Quilton.
    I did hesitate so i left it till late and if i went shopping and found them not OzBargained yet i would grab them which i did.

    • Blue Cat on 02/03/2020 - 22:34

      panic buyers came in and swooped asap and in bulk thus fueling the media scare mongering even more.

      Just like Y2K scare in America, which made people believe that all water systems will stop working. One day before Y2K, everyone decided it was a good idea to fill the bathtub with water to keep for the future water needs.
      Well, guess what happens when all of America decides to open their taps?

      No water left! Everyone thought Y2K is REALLY HAPPENING! Maximum panic mode and civil unrest fueling the media scare mongering even more.

    • netjock on 03/03/2020 - 17:51

      You might sell some of your stock pile and make a profit!

  • Kamsi on 02/03/2020 - 23:31
    +1

    OK who is the dimwit bought out all the toilet papers @woolies and @Coles. Today misses went shopping at both of this stores and all the toilet papers on the shelves are empty. WTF is wrong with these people.

    • stewy on 03/03/2020 - 01:03

      Shelves were well stocked at my local Coles up here in North Queensland. The only thing I saw sold out was hand sanitiser.

      Going to take a cyclone before the shelves get cleared out up here!

    • ElWircho on 03/03/2020 - 08:26

      I bought some last week, why didn't you? The writing was on the wall.

    • Oofy Doofy on 03/03/2020 - 13:41

      They've probably got the shits…

    • netjock on 03/03/2020 - 17:52

      Have you looked on Ebay? Might be sold at twice the price by Jack.

  • sauce2k on 02/03/2020 - 23:51

    Lol had to buy toilet papers off ebay.. Actually ran out then realised nothing left at coles 😂

    • 900dollaridoos on 03/03/2020 - 13:37

      RIP, probably infected

    • ProlapsedHeinous on 04/03/2020 - 01:53

      you can still buy who gives a crap paper (whogivesacrap.org), although im unsure how long delivery is on that in the meantime.

  • liongalahad on 03/03/2020 - 00:42
    +1

    mainly food that stays edible for very long time even without refrigeration. I'd say
    salt
    pasta
    canned food (tomato, beans, tuna, corn, etc)
    olive oil

    then soap, toilet paper, antiseptic

  • djmm on 03/03/2020 - 07:19
    +1

    This kind of mentality is also the reason why stock market plunges

    • netjock on 03/03/2020 - 22:29

      It is the only market where the price drops and people run for the exits.

  • gimme on 03/03/2020 - 08:46
    +5

    I'm not worried abt catching corona. Far more worried abt the actions of stupid ppl.

  • biozet on 03/03/2020 - 09:15

    stock up on enloops and voss iceberg water.

  • s99lim on 03/03/2020 - 10:31
    +1

    Don't dispose off your face mask after use, it can be recycled - viruses will die after 6-7 days. So rotate your face mask, one per day. Clean with a dilute bleach spray (rather than washing the masks which can loosen the fabric on the masks).

    Hand sanitizers with high alcohol content >70% is better, otherwise, it's not effective against viruses.
    Women sanitary pads were scarce apparently in HK, make sense to stock up, ladies.

    • lint on 03/03/2020 - 10:42

      Interesting idea, and maybe dumb question but if you use a bleach spray with enough bleach to be effective, wouldn't you be breathing bleach fumes when you reuse the mask?

      • s99lim on 03/03/2020 - 11:01
        +1

        According to Google: Bleach cannot evaporate: (sodium hypochlorite ) is solid. … 3) After complete drying, sodium hypoclorite decompose into (kitchen salt), (caustic soda), chlorine, oxygen. absorbs from air becoming (sodium carbonate) and (sodium hydrogen carbonate. Hope that helps.

        Probably prudent to recycle 10 masks per person - i.e. 10 days for the virus to die off.

        Btw, I get my COVID-19 updates here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLRgTUN1zz_oeQpnJxpeaE…

    • ribenaboy on 03/03/2020 - 11:16
      +1

      Common face mask use mistakes:
      https://www.hongkongfp.com/2020/03/02/coronavirus-definitive…

      Reusing or recycling masks. This has been a common and dangerous emerging practice in Hong Kong since January 2020.

      Wearing the same mask for too long. The length of time that a face mask could be safely worn depends on the number of people a user has been around. The outer layer of a mask is the ultimate barrier. Like a fishing net, it will filter but also accumulate pathogens, without inactivating or killing them. The longer a mask has been worn around others, the more concentrated the infectious load becomes. A face mask should never be worn longer than a day; a doctor or nurse will go through multiple masks during a single work shift.

      Used masks are not disposed of quickly and appropriately. Used masks have a build-up of potentially infectious particulates that could include coronavirus and other pathogens, and if left around, they can cross-contaminate previously clean areas.

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