Anyone else worried about fall supplies?

[DopeyDame]

I just came home from target - a literally aisle FILLED with various brands of hand sanitizer! Of all sizes! I thought maybe it was a mirage at first, but nope - it was real! Limit 2 per customer, so we got one big one and one little "hang on the backpack" super cute glittery one for DD.
TP aisle was about half filled - I grabbed a 12 pack, just in case.
Still no clorox wipes, but lots of other cleaning supplies, including bleach.

I definitely have generalized anxiety trying to figure out what I should be stocking up on now in preparation for the fall rush. Alas my crystal ball is really crappy for 2020.

 

[jo-jo]

I did a failed, depressing Wegmans Instacart shop last week (Wegmans site said everything was I stock - they lied.) I did another shop over the weekend, using the Instacart all - and got my wipes! And I think I'm at 149 rolls of toilet paper. Plus my two emergency-only, last-ditch, Scott-quality rolls.

according to www.howmuchtoiletpaper.com, I should be good until August 6. 2021.

I looked at that link...I had enough for a year. Then I noticed it's for one person, using bathroom 3 times a day, using 4 sheets, hmmm recalculate.....I need to go shopping around labor day.

I just bought 6 tubs of wipes to add to the 8 tubs I have. I paid about 15% more at amazon than BJs, but I just wanted to have them and be done.

I truly believe there will some kind of pull back, maybe not shut down, but still stay home as much as possible. I was getting a tiny bit freaky when I saw BJs had this, that, and the other, but by the time the instacart shopper got there, 30% was out of stock.

 

[kaytieeldr]

More can't hurt. Don't hoard, just but a package every time or every other time you shop.

 

[HeatherC]

I googled "Perk disinfecting wipes" and got 5 hits at Staples. All of them say sold out.

So sorry! I must have been one of the last ones to get any.

 

[dclpluto]

Nope not worried

 

[Forevermarypoppins]

If people would have just shopped as they normally would there would have never been shortages in the first place.

And it was better to have fewer people in the stores. Everyone survived the TP CRISIS, right. Live and learn. Buy and hold on to extra TP in the event you need to bunker down again for a month or more.(again)

 

[kaytieeldr]

But we're not handling the wipes/disinfectant crisis well!

 

[HeatherC]

I have noticed that I have finally started seeing yeast again in the stores after many months. What has surprised me lately is a couple stores I have been in have had pretty empty aisles of canned veggies. Pasta is in good supply, but the canned veggie aisles have been kind of scarce. Thought this was strange. Anyone else noticing that?

 

[a1tinkfans]

I noticed pasta was gone a few weeks back. Now fully stocked again. By me there is still no wipes, Lysol.. good luck finding that and TP is often hit or miss, yes some brands but not all. I think people Are starting to hoard again which makes it so tough for rest of us who don’t want to keep trying to find things.

 

[anthony2k7]

If people would have just shopped as they normally would there would have never been shortages in the first place.

Many people normally wouldnt buy as if they were staying home, or washing their hands 10 to 20 times a day. They needed to buy extra.

 

[CarolAnn856]

I have noticed that I have finally started seeing yeast again in the stores after many months. What has surprised me lately is a couple stores I have been in have had pretty empty aisles of canned veggies. Pasta is in good supply, but the canned veggie aisles have been kind of scarce. Thought this was strange. Anyone else noticing that?

I would think that, because they’re less expensive than fresh veggies, more people are purchasing them because so many are out of work or have reduced hours.

We never use canned veggies, but we’ve been buying them for our church’s food pantry and sometimes have trouble finding them. We only purchase some if there seems to be plenty available for others. Our pantry has seen a significant increase in the number of visitors each time we’re open.

 

[anthony2k7]

In January I started buying 1x extra weeks supply of everything every week. I did not clear the shelves. But instead of buying TP once a month I'd buy a packet a week. Instead of 1x pack of pasta I bought 2x a week etc.

It worked for me and I didn't feel like i was depriving others.

I started doing the same again a couple of weeks ago.

Iv noticed our local supermarket (in uk) has extra stock piled up high on top of the shelves like they do at Christmas. Shops definitely seem to be trying to get stocked up ready.

 

[barkley]

but the canned veggie aisles have been kind of scarce. Thought this was strange. Anyone else noticing that?

i went shopping today-they are scarcer and the ones they have have gone WAY UP in price over a matter of weeks. i think it's in part b/c of processing being cut back on and farmers having to let some varieties just rot in the fields in recent months. soup has and still is scarce and pricier on the shelves but i suspect it will go up even more in price if you can find it-idaho and washington farmers had to abandon huge portions of this season's potato crops.

dh thought i was bat-s nuts when i was buying cases and cases of veggies over the last few months (i do it every year but usually in september/october) but i told him i had a gut feeling that even if i could find them in the fall the prices would be much higher-today the stuff i got for 79 cents a can was "on sale" for $1.89 a can still no wipes anywhere around us (and i was there at opening time) but plenty of hand sanitizer and some lysol sprays.

 

[georgina]

I'm not worried about fall supplies. It's just DH and me, and between stuff in the freezer and canned goods we probably could get by for 4 weeks easily. Was in Costco last week and saw someone trying to buy 2 huge packages of some kind of paper goods, either TP or paper towels, and the self-checkout register wouldn't let her. We rarely use disinfecting wipes or Lysol, and not much hand sanitizer either.

 

[Frozen Canuck]

I was at Market Basket last night, replenishing our fresh items so we can make it another week without going for a big shop (Costco, etc.). There is a drink enhancer that I usually purchase there because they have the best prices on it, but it is hit and miss as to whether they have my favourite flavour in stock or not. When I can find it, I usually purchase multiple boxes, because I never know if it will be there the next time. I ran out weeks ago, but the last two trips, they have been out of that particular flavour, but with lots of the other flavours in stock. I finally decided that I would just go up to customer service to see if it was possible to order a case of the flavour I like, and it was! It was super easy. The customer service person called the manager, he asked what I wanted and how many cases, and he just wrote it with my name and phone number down in his little book. He said I should get a call Tuesday or Wednesday and I can just walk in and pick it up. (For those who are wondering, a "case" of this drink mix is 12 small boxes with 6 packets in each, something we will go through in a reasonable amount of time.)

I can't see doing this with many products, as Market Basket is pretty well-stocked in most things (sanitizing wipes excluded), but for those of you who want to stock up while leaving product on the shelves for others, this might be a way for you to do that, especially for your most-used items. It also means that you can purchase a bulk number of items at today's prices, should food costs rise closer to fall. For us, I might do a case order for coconut milk, because we go through a lot of it and I seem to be grabbing two or three cans of our favourite brand every time I see it. I can't see stores letting you order a case of sanitizing wipes at this time, but if your family uses a lot of canned soups and you want a flat of 12 cream of mushroom, or canned beans, or you really like fruit cocktail, or whatever, your local store may be willing to order extra and set aside a case of certain items for you. I don't anticipate any savings associated with purchasing a case (I don't pay until it comes in), but it means that I will have the product I want without clearing the shelf stock.

 

[HeatherC]

I was at Market Basket last night, replenishing our fresh items so we can make it another week without going for a big shop (Costco, etc.). There is a drink enhancer that I usually purchase there because they have the best prices on it, but it is hit and miss as to whether they have my favourite flavour in stock or not. When I can find it, I usually purchase multiple boxes, because I never know if it will be there the next time. I ran out weeks ago, but the last two trips, they have been out of that particular flavour, but with lots of the other flavours in stock. I finally decided that I would just go up to customer service to see if it was possible to order a case of the flavour I like, and it was! It was super easy. The customer service person called the manager, he asked what I wanted and how many cases, and he just wrote it with my name and phone number down in his little book. He said I should get a call Tuesday or Wednesday and I can just walk in and pick it up. (For those who are wondering, a "case" of this drink mix is 12 small boxes with 6 packets in each, something we will go through in a reasonable amount of time.)

I can't see doing this with many products, as Market Basket is pretty well-stocked in most things (sanitizing wipes excluded), but for those of you who want to stock up while leaving product on the shelves for others, this might be a way for you to do that, especially for your most-used items. It also means that you can purchase a bulk number of items at today's prices, should food costs rise closer to fall. For us, I might do a case order for coconut milk, because we go through a lot of it and I seem to be grabbing two or three cans of our favourite brand every time I see it. I can't see stores letting you order a case of sanitizing wipes at this time, but if your family uses a lot of canned soups and you want a flat of 12 cream of mushroom, or canned beans, or you really like fruit cocktail, or whatever, your local store may be willing to order extra and set aside a case of certain items for you. I don't anticipate any savings associated with purchasing a case (I don't pay until it comes in), but it means that I will have the product I want without clearing the shelf stock.

Gotta love Market Basket! They really are the best.
Great idea in asking them to order something you may use a lot of!

This week I am going to be stocking up my new freezer. We got it before vacation but didn’t plug it in yet since we weren’t home and it would be sitting empty. Now I need to check the sales flyers and slowly start filling it. With all three adult kids back home, our bottom drawer freezer just isn’t big enough.

 

[belleatdisney]

Lysol wipes and clorox wipes were both in stock at meijer this week. About a dozen of each were available. It seems to be slowly coming back.

The only hand sanitizer I have seen is off brand. Weeks ago they had germx.

 

[Southernmiss]

After weeks of most things in stock (except hand sanitizer, lysol, and wipes) our shelves were a bit more empty today.

No Charmin and items like Emergen C and Zinc losenges were sold out.

I found a bottle of alcohol misplaced on an aisle not near where it should have been. I did buy that lucky find. The shelf for alcohol was completely empty.

We also found cloth t shirt material Hanes masks in black and white 5 masks for $7.50. That was a nice find.

I bought 2 spray bottles to divide the alcohol into.

Looks to me like people are stocking up again on some items.

Interestingly, I took daughter shopping for college dorm items yesterday at Target and Bed, Bath & Beyond and it was obvious that we were almost late to the game. Several were shopping yesterday and items were missing from shelves.

 

[bushdianee]

I've been doing pickup grocery orders and every time I've tried to order Charmin I've gotten a substitution of Cottenelle or Scott. I finally got a smaller pack of Charmin last week and actually went into Target today for the first time since March and was able to pick up a 12 pack of the super mega size so I think I'm good for a while. Has anybody noticed that nobody has been having Charmin on sale recently. Target used to have it on sale almost every other week before but not at all recently. Plus I haven't seen any coupons for it either. Prices are higher now too. I usually only keep a small supply on hand and have been trying to replace what I've used. I don't like Scott and will either give it away or keep it for an emergency.

 

[tvguy]

Walmart this morning. They have had wipes in stock since early June, but Great Value Brand. Today they also have Clorox brand in stock.