Grocery Shopping

[+ tassojunior]

This wasn't a run on a bank.

 

With all the borrowing governments are doing, the contrast between toilet paper and currency may diminish.

[mike carey]

With all the borrowing governments are doing, the contrast between toilet paper and currency may diminish.

Possibly yes. But a country that can borrow in its own currency and can print money has an advantage. It can roll the debt over till the end of time. (Or until inflation kills it.)

[+ newatthis]

Safeway wins the day for me too. Here is Vegas it's Vons. But the same attention to sanitary measures...one attendant wiping down carts and handing them to you, another with a counter to monitor store volume (last I noticed it was 100 occupancy limit), security guard outside as well, then floor markers at checkouts to maintain 6 feet, and arrows for one way aisles.

Here it's Trader Joe's that does that -- with their usual cheery staff who manage to walk the line between upbeat and cloyingly pollyannaish. I most enjoyed the way the guy managing the line ended his spiel: "and buy as much as you want...we've solved all our supply chain problems."

[+ tassojunior]

Possibly yes. But a country that can borrow in its own currency and can print money has an advantage. It can roll the debt over till the end of time. (Or until inflation kills it.)

 

.........so long as China lets us borrow in dollars.

[+ Keith30309]

I may not go back to that WalMart. They get crazy in normal times. " I said 6 feet motherfucker !"

 

VIDEO : Woman pepper-sprays customers trying to ride elevator with her at a D.C. Wal-Mart

http://wjla.com/news/local/woman-pepper-sprays-customers-trying-to-ride-elevator-with-her-at-a-dc-wal-mart

I can’t imagine why the assailant wasn’t charged with assault.

[mike carey]

.........so long as China lets us borrow in dollars.

I wasn't talking about just the US, I was also talking about Australia, Canada, the UK and even Aotearoa/New Zealand. Australia had a multi-billion AUD bond issue last week that was over subscribed. Those four aren't the only countries other than the US that have the capacity to issue debt. The other EU countries outside the eurozone would also be able to, and there would be others.

[mike carey]

AHA! I was thinking Puff Pastry as in the sheets like Filo dough. Yours makes sense.

Me too! But the 84pc had me confused.

[jjkrkwood]

Todays challenge: findings a way to make a plain, dry baguette Interesting !

 

[RealAvalon]

I completely disagree. No retail business would react precipitately to a run on an individual line of stock on one day, they would want to see a pattern. They would respond more quickly if it was a threat to their bottom line or the stability of their operations. This wasn't. They wouldn't allow an individual shop manager, much less a checkout operator, throw the switch, but they would fairly quickly see that it was happening in multiple outlets and their IT systems would tell them the scope of the issue. That would be when they would move, which is what they did. It wasn't a threat to the company, the restrictions were implemented to calm shoppers down. That calming effort was complemented by detailed e-mails of what they were doing to their loyalty card holders and signage in the shops. This wasn't a run on a bank.

Stores limit items all of the time. If they have a sale on something and say 'limit four per customer' that's pretty common. Stretching that to paper products in general isn't all that different is it?

[RealAvalon]

Todays challenge: findings a way to make a plain, dry baguette Interesting !

 

First thought is 'something creamy'

[Guest]

I completely disagree. No retail business would react precipitately to a run on an individual line of stock on one day, they would want to see a pattern. They would respond more quickly if it was a threat to their bottom line or the stability of their operations. This wasn't....

I learned a new word today! At first when I read your note, I thought that precipitately was just an Aussie way of saying precipitously, but I checked and there is a subtle difference in that precipitately means "in a way that is too sudden and done without thinking." Well, the way I see it, quick thinking is not without thinking. The video clearly shows that one customer filled her grocery cart with every last package of toilet paper rolls the store had left. Clearly, in my view, this was going to lead to a severe burden on other customers, and could lead to fights, which it did. Toilet paper is really a necessity, not an optional or luxury item. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I can only think of two reasons that woman would have bought so much toilet paper: (1) she had very severe mental illness (psychosis) and really thought she needed that much, or (2) more likely, she was buying them out with the thought that she could go out and sell them to desperate families at a steep profit.

I disagree strongly that grocery stores only need to take action when there's a threat to their "bottom line" or the "stability of their operations." They provide the public with essential items and do have a responsibility in that regard, even if it's not coded into law (which, after what we've learned from this crisis, it probably should be). Had I been the store manager at that time, I would have come down and told the hoarding customer that we were henceforth allowing one one package per customer due to shortage of supplies and need to serve other customers (bonus points if the manager had noticed they were running low in inventory well before this incident and acted proactively).

[mike carey]

Stores limit items all of the time. If they have a sale on something and say 'limit four per customer' that's pretty common. Stretching that to paper products in general isn't all that different is it?

Yes they do, but usually those limits are planned in advance. Imposing limits in reaction to panic buying is a different dynamic.

[RealAvalon]

Yes they do, but usually those limits are planned in advance. Imposing limits in reaction to panic buying is a different dynamic.

Meh. Potayto ... potato

[handiacefailure]

I may not go back to that WalMart. They get crazy in normal times. " I said 6 feet motherfucker !"

 

VIDEO : Woman pepper-sprays customers trying to ride elevator with her at a D.C. Wal-Mart

http://wjla.com/news/local/woman-pepper-sprays-customers-trying-to-ride-elevator-with-her-at-a-dc-wal-mart

 

I'm surprised she didn't get charged. Sort of a hypocrite though if she wanted people to stay six feet away from her but wasn't wearing a mask. I wish they would make masks mandatory for both employees and customers in any public building.

 

Not sure why someone would want to get in an elevator with a stranger anyway, especially if they don't have a mask in a place like Walmart which is a haven for it. Both my condo and my office building elevators have signs in them to not share the elevator with anyone not in your household.

[handiacefailure]

Wonder what will get hoarded next at the grocery store. I haven't been able to find yeast in a few weeks and last weekend I wanted to make biscuits and scones and needed baking powder and the grocery store I go to said they have been selling out of it fast and can't keep it on the shelves. I called the small expensive grocery store near my condo before I bought the other items for the scones to see if they had baking powder and the had one can and held it for me, never thought I'd see the day where I would need to have a store hold baking powder for me.

[+ Charlie]

I do the same with hand sanitizer wipes.

 

In my area (Phoenix) I've noticed that Safeway, Whole Foods, and Trader Joe's has people walking around the store cleaning and sanitizing shelves, displays and dairy/meat cases and has people stationed at the entrances cleaning and handing out carts. Fry's (part of Kroger) does not do this. Has anyone else who lives in an area where both Albertson's (a/k/a Safeway, VONS, Jewel-Osco, Acme, Shaw's/Star) and Kroger (a/k/a Ralphs, King Soopers/City Market, QFC, Smith's, Mariano's) noticed that Alberston's seems to be taking sanitation to a higher level than Kroger?

OK, today I tried Ralph's (Kroger) for the first time in a couple of weeks, and I was aware that not much was being done about social distancing: no one way aisles; no markings for people to stand while waiting, except at checkout; no directions about bagging; no protection for checkers other than masks; someone cleaning carts only at one of the entrances. My local Albertson's is much more serious; they even make one line for customers (6 ft apart) checking out, and an employee assigned to directing those on line to the next available checker. However, Ralph's did have two spray bottles of Fantastik in the cleaning supplies area, and one package of Charmin on the tp shelf.

[Spursy]

but they had set up the witches hats and tape to mark it by the time I'd finished

Mike, are "witches hats" what Americans would call pylons or cones? I'm assuming so, but I had to think about it for a second or two.

[mike carey]

Mike, are "witches hats" what Americans would call pylons or cones? I'm assuming so, but I had to think about it for a second or two.

They are those plastic cones that are used to mark off areas. And a most profound apology, I should have written 'witchs' hats' I'll correct my earlier post post haste!

[samhexum]

I'll correct my earlier post post haste!

 

I always play around with numbers and words in my head. I try to rearrange them.

 

opst seem like the four letters that can be rearranged into the most 4-letter words.

 

POST

STOP

SPOT

OPTS

POTS

TOPS

[handiacefailure]

I'm avoiding Walmart for now, but see on their site they are now going to start making the aisles one way. Lot's of complaints on their facebook page about it. Biggest complaint is if people have to pass you but I'd rather have someone pass me with their cart then face someone coming in the opposite direction stopping their cart when mine is stopped. I see they are also requiring their employees to wear mask but only asking, and not requiring customers to wear one.

 

The farmers market and the local grocery store I like to go to have had one way traffic for a while and also require customers to enter and exit through opposite doors and I think it's a smart move, only problem is you have people that don't pay attention and do what they want.

[handiacefailure]

I'm avoiding Walmart for now, but see on their site they are now going to start making the aisles one way. Lot's of complaints on their facebook page about it. Biggest complaint is if people have to pass you but I'd rather have someone pass me with their cart then face someone coming in the opposite direction stopping their cart when mine is stopped. I see they are also requiring their employees to wear mask but only asking, and not requiring customers to wear one.

 

The farmers market and the local grocery store I like to go to have had one way traffic for a while and also require customers to enter and exit through opposite doors and I think it's a smart move, only problem is you have people that don't pay attention and do what they want.

[MrMattBig]

I'm avoiding Walmart for now, but see on their site they are now going to start making the aisles one way. Lot's of complaints on their facebook page about it. Biggest complaint is if people have to pass you but I'd rather have someone pass me with their cart then face someone coming in the opposite direction stopping their cart when mine is stopped. I see they are also requiring their employees to wear mask but only asking, and not requiring customers to wear one.

 

The farmers market and the local grocery store I like to go to have had one way traffic for a while and also require customers to enter and exit through opposite doors and I think it's a smart move, only problem is you have people that don't pay attention and do what they want.

I always try to avoid Walmart in any situation, prefer target over Walmart.

Sadly, it's Walmart that is in walking distance from me, not target. Additionally my property management messed up my online pay portal, and I dont have checks, so Walmart is the most convenient option for a money order.

[MrMattBig]

I'm avoiding Walmart for now, but see on their site they are now going to start making the aisles one way. Lot's of complaints on their facebook page about it. Biggest complaint is if people have to pass you but I'd rather have someone pass me with their cart then face someone coming in the opposite direction stopping their cart when mine is stopped. I see they are also requiring their employees to wear mask but only asking, and not requiring customers to wear one.

 

The farmers market and the local grocery store I like to go to have had one way traffic for a while and also require customers to enter and exit through opposite doors and I think it's a smart move, only problem is you have people that don't pay attention and do what they want.

I always try to avoid Walmart in any situation, prefer target over Walmart.

Sadly, it's Walmart that is in walking distance from me, not target. Additionally my property management messed up my online pay portal, and I dont have checks, so Walmart is the most convenient option for a money order.

[+ bashful]

16 suburbs (so far) of Chicago now require face masks be worn, mostly when inside essential businesses such as stores. Also, green bags (reusable tote bags) cannot be brought inside any store.

[+ bashful]

16 suburbs (so far) of Chicago now require face masks be worn, mostly when inside essential businesses such as stores. Also, green bags (reusable tote bags) cannot be brought inside any store.