Supermarket shortages (19 Viewers)

[dutchman]

Since when is profiteering illegal?
Isn't that what makes capitalism work?
Every profitable business buys things at one price and sells them for more.

Very true but normally not during a time of national emergency and at the expense of the most vulnerable in society.

 

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[Sick Boy]

Tbf there are a lot of good things that people are doing. Our local community have set up a Facebook hub where the elderly and vulnerable can request help. Whether that be shopping, dog walking or just a bit of company.
Local nurseries are going online to Skype their children and basically run their days over a screen.
Local PT trainers have offered free on screen P.E sessions.

This is just a snippet of the stuff I've seen.
So to generalise about the british public like you just have, is way below the mark.

Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk

Way below the mark? Come off it, to be fair though I did mean to say large sections.

It seems to be widespread across the country and is incredibly selfish, especially towards the vulnerable, elderly and essential workers like NHS staff working 12 hour shifts.

It’s wonderful that there are those helping others out, fair play to them but it seems that this hoarding is being done on across the country and aren’t isolated incidents.

Then there’s been multiple examples of people ripping others off by selling massively overpriced items.

 

[Sick Boy]

Hmm..thing is like I said in another post, I have pen friends all over the world and it is the same story.

I have heard the same story from friends in France, Germany, USA, Australia, Norway.

They are all saying what we are saying on here. People stockpiling, people being selfish, people acting crazily.

I’m surprised it hasn’t gone on here then, the only time I’ve seen shelves consistently empty is when buying eggs.

 

[Sick Boy]

The Italian president said he'll make sure anyone profiteering from the virus will be hunted down and made to pay.

I wonder if Liam Neeson has received the call yet.

The tax people are now extremely efficient in how they operate here so can believe that. I got a letter demanding money a couple of months ago for a unpaid month from a tv licence back in 2014.
For a few weeks I was stuck in a loop of receiving urgent letters about it from 2 different sources showing that Italian bureaucracy is still doing well

 

[clint van damme]

Since when is profiteering illegal?
Isn't that what makes capitalism work?
Every profitable business buys things at one price and sells them for more.

well perhaps capitalism needs reigning in?

 

[clint van damme]

Really?

if you had to bet which uber c**t would make a comment like that he would have been among the favourites.

 

[clint van damme]

fair play to this fella



Some young lad who live near my daughter put his phone number on a card and posted it through the doors locally saying if you're elderly ring me and I will collect anything you need.
That's what society should be like, not rampant capitalism taking advantage of a national emergency.

Very true but normally not during a time of national emergency and at the expense of the most vulnerable in society.

totally agree. Nothing wrong with a bit of entrepreneurial spirit, but there's a time and a place.

 

[mrtrench]

People are both cunts and amazing and just OK. That’s the beauty of em.

Completely agree. And each one of them is an individual which has nothing to do with any other superficial grouping that wankers like to make.

 

[Sick Boy]

Completely agree. And each one of them is an individual which has nothing to do with any other superficial grouping that wankers like to make.

It's strange that no one seems to pipe up when it is dished out to others, eh?

 

[mrtrench]

Since when is profiteering illegal?
Isn't that what makes capitalism work?
Every profitable business buys things at one price and sells them for more.

No, profiteering is not capitalism. Profiteering is making an unfair and unreasonable profit to take advantage of others.

A business making a fair profit from selling is a necessity to ensure that people are motivated to take the risks of starting a business; putting in the effort to run the business; create jobs for others and create new products that benefit society as a whole. The free market ensures that profits remain at a reasonable level and drives down the price: making business more efficient and keeping profits at a reasonable level.

Using a market dislocation by buying up all the pasta to take advantage of others is despicable and not the same thing at all.

 

[mrtrench]

It's strange that no one seems to pipe up when it is dished out to others, eh?

I don't understand. Are you suggesting that I support racism and homophobia etc. by silence? Because if you are, then you are not only wrong but also bloody rude.

 

[mrtrench]

My wife got a tip on using newspaper. Apparently you should screw it up into a tight ball first and then unscrew and use - makes it a better experience. We're still a week or so away from having to try it.

 

[shmmeee]

Since when is profiteering illegal?
Isn't that what makes capitalism work?
Every profitable business buys things at one price and sells them for more.

Since you make it illegal in a crisis.

 

[Otis]

My wife got a tip on using newspaper. Apparently you should screw it up into a tight ball first and then unscrew and use - makes it a better experience. We're still a week or so away from having to try it.

And do you cook it for the same amount of time as normal pasta, or does it take a little longer?

 

[Sick Boy]

I don't understand. Are you suggesting that I support racism and homophobia etc. by silence? Because if you are, then you are not only wrong but also bloody rude.

Errrrm no.
The 'me me' culture is throughly depressing and is widespread, there's nothing wrong in being critical of it, I admited my inital comment should have included sections of the public.

 

[mrtrench]

Errrrm no.
The 'me me' culture is throughly depressing and is widespread, there's nothing wrong in being critical of it, I admited my inital comment should have included sections of the public.

I agree with the typical economist's view on motivation. People do what they do to make themselves happy. Sometimes that means being selfish but few people would be so if they knew that it was making others unhappy - because that makes them feel bad about themselves. Sociopaths don't care - but that's not a huge percentage. People also do completely unselfish things because it makes them happy. I don't recognise the 'me me' culture - I think it's propaganda.

My original point was about identity politics - both Left and Right. It's wrong to group people together as 'Muslims' or 'Gay' and assume other attributes about them because of one superficial factor they have in common.

 

[Sick Boy]

I agree with the typical economist's view on motivation. People do what they do to make themselves happy. Sometimes that means being selfish but few people would be so if they knew that it was making others unhappy - because that makes them feel bad about themselves. Sociopaths don't care - but that's not a huge percentage. People also do completely unselfish things because it makes them happy. I don't recognise the 'me me' culture - I think it's propaganda.

My original point was about identity politics - both Left and Right. It's wrong to group people together as 'Muslims' or 'Gay' and assume other attributes about them because of one superficial factor they have in common.

With respect, I disagree and think that society in the western world on a whole has turned more selfish and self-interested but these people are not sociopaths.
The elderly, vulnerable and key workers being negatively impacted by these selfish actions is not going to cause these people to stop what they are doing, if it wasn't for the restrictions imposed by supermarkets I am sure they would carry on hoarding food for themselves. There isn't even a lockdown there, so who knows how they'd react if one was put in place!!

 

[mrtrench]

With respect, I disagree and think that society in the western world on a whole has turned more selfish and self-interested but these people are not sociopaths.
The elderly, vulnerable and key workers being negatively impacted by these selfish actions is not going to cause these people to stop what they are doing, if it wasn't for the restrictions imposed by supermarkets I am sure they would carry on hoarding food for themselves. There isn't even a lockdown there, so who knows how they'd react if one was put in place!!

I'm not surprised that you think that but I disagree - returning the respect. I think that if one looks, one can find reasons to be negative in everything. But this hoarding is not the majority of people. We've also had notes through our doors offering help to neighbours.

I think we will get some more waves of hoarding until supermarkets are full again. There will be more who didn't think to do it in the first instance but are now frightened and buy up more than they need. But I don't believe that's the majority of people. My life view is broadly positive, whilst accepting that some bad happens.

 

[greys4life]

Can I just ask the nice people on here to give the supermarket staff a friendly wave and smile? My niece works in one of the big shops and has been getting a lot of abuse and stress since this madness started. They opened up for an hour for the elderly and vulnerable - those people couldnt get in because of the selfish arseholes getting in their way and then she got shouted at for saying this time is for those less able to cope, she's been pushed, sworn at and given grief. These people have their own families to worry about and keep safe but are still out there trying to help people so please lets show them some gratitude. Have to say though its not all people and she's been getting a lot of thanks especially from the older generations.

Okay lecture over - stay safe and well peeps.

 

[Grendel]

The reaction of the general British public to this and the selfishness is very depressing and says a lot, unfortunately.

It’s the same everywhere social media creates a story and it kicks off a frenzy

 

[Nick]

Can I just ask the nice people on here to give the supermarket staff a friendly wave and smile? My niece works in one of the big shops and has been getting a lot of abuse and stress since this madness started. They opened up for an hour for the elderly and vulnerable - those people couldnt get in because of the selfish arseholes getting in their way and then she got shouted at for saying this time is for those less able to cope, she's been pushed, sworn at and given grief. These people have their own families to worry about and keep safe but are still out there trying to help people so please lets show them some gratitude. Have to say though its not all people and she's been getting a lot of thanks especially from the older generations.

Okay lecture over - stay safe and well peeps.

I dont understand why people give checkout staff shit at the best of times.

Isn't their place to put up with those pricks. Should be more security in stores.

 

[OffenhamSkyBlue]

I was just thinking (while wandering around Twitter) "When did we as a nation get so NASTY towards each other?"
My belief? The rise of social media:-
EVERYONE is an expert
EVERYONE has something to say about everything
EVERYONE thinks that they deserve to be listened to
EVERYONE thinks that they can say what the hell they like - to or about anyone
NO-ONE stops to think what they write
NO-ONE stops to consider how what they write might impact on other people

I'm not one who backs the "I'll be alright - i lived through the war" ethos in this current crisis, but Vera Lynn has said today (her 103rd birthday, FWIW) that we need to recapture some of the SPIRIT of what got us through the war (those two things are not the same, in my book):-
Pulling together
Being considerate towards one another
Helping out others who need it, where we can
Stop being cunts (yeah, surprised me too, that last one!)

I'm not having a go at folks on here, who are largely pretty well-mannered, but there are occasions when threads end in personal attacks, when people have largely just expressed an opinion.
#BeMoreVera

 

[Sick Boy]

I was just thinking (while wandering around Twitter) "When did we as a nation get so NASTY towards each other?"
My belief? The rise of social media:-
EVERYONE is an expert
EVERYONE has something to say about everything
EVERYONE thinks that they deserve to be listened to
EVERYONE thinks that they can say what the hell they like - to or about anyone
NO-ONE stops to think what they write
NO-ONE stops to consider how what they write might impact on other people

I'm not one who backs the "I'll be alright - i lived through the war" ethos in this current crisis, but Vera Lynn has said today (her 103rd birthday, FWIW) that we need to recapture some of the SPIRIT of what got us through the war (those two things are not the same, in my book):-
Pulling together
Being considerate towards one another
Helping out others who need it, where we can
Stop being cunts (yeah, surprised me too, that last one!)

I'm not having a go at folks on here, who are largely pretty well-mannered, but there are occasions when threads end in personal attacks, when people have largely just expressed an opinion.
#BeMoreVera

Great post.
It does make me laugh that this forum (and I guess most others) have enough experts on every subject to solve all of the world's problems

 

[Nick]

Great post.
It does make me laugh that this forum (and I guess most others) have enough experts on every subject to solve all of the world's problems

You are jealous because you aren't a qualified doctor with a degree in graphs like the rest of us.

 

[Nick]

I dont get why people are going mad for bottled water either.

Just get it out of the tap FFS.

 

[OffenhamSkyBlue]

I dont get why people are going mad for bottled water either.

Just get it out of the tap FFS.

It's clearly to wash their arse with when they run out of bog paper!

 

[Marty]

I dont get why people are going mad for bottled water either.

Just get it out of the tap FFS.

It's incase the power (pumps) goes off.

Unless you buy gallons, it's near enough a waste of time, you're buying a day or 2 at most, better of buying water purification tablets, usually get about 500 tablets for a tenner, each tablet cleans a litre.

 

[Sick Boy]

It's incase the power (pumps) goes off.

Unless you buy gallons, it's near enough a waste of time, you're buying a day or 2 at most, better of buying water purification tablets, usually get about 500 tablets for a tenner, each tablet cleans a litre.

I imagine your house resembles a bunker by the sounds of it

 

[Nick]

It's incase the power (pumps) goes off.

Unless you buy gallons, it's near enough a waste of time, you're buying a day or 2 at most, better of buying water purification tablets, usually get about 500 tablets for a tenner, each tablet cleans a litre.

It's not a nuclear war.

Besides, plenty of beer.

 

[Marty]

I imagine your house resembles a bunker by the sounds of it

Haha, I use them for when I'm out on my bike,

 

[Sick Boy]

And do you cook it for the same amount of time as normal pasta, or does it take a little longer?

Served with Rat au Van.

 

[Marty]

It's not a nuclear war.

Besides, plenty of beer.

Six weeks ago who thought we'd be going into isolation?

So far I've been 5 steps ahead of the game, get upto speed lad.

 

[Nick]

Six weeks ago who thought we'd be going into isolation?

So far I've been 5 steps ahead of the game, get upto speed lad.

I live by a shop that has an empty shop next to it full of stock. If it comes down to it I am breaking in and living in the off license.

Get a bottle of lemonade and make shandy for the daughter, I am not irresponsable.

 

[CCFCSteve]

Unfortunately I’m not sure if the shitroll hoarders would get the maths

 

[Otis]

Unfortunately I’m not sure if the shitroll hoarders would get the maths

Sorry, don't buy that at all. That guy talked nothing but shit for two whole minutes.