That Armageddon Feeling

It’s hard not to have an Armageddon feeling these days due to the coronavirus. Like many people, I’ve been tuning into the news more than normal for updates.

The Australian Prime Minister is doing his utmost to reassure the public that there are no supply shortages, that there’s no need for bulk purchases or hoarding. He suggests that the public stop bulk buying to allow supermarkets to restock, while imploring everyone to go back to normal shopping habits.

I’ve been doing my best to stick to normal shopping habits, but it hasn’t been easy. Due to the shortages of toilet paper, I did a couple of grocery shops online. Many people had the same online idea as me and so we all experienced delays in deliveries of several days. I also experienced shortages during this process and missed out on several items I needed due to increased demand, but at least I got my toilet paper.

Since I still had to buy the items I’d run out of along with the items the online shop hadn’t supplied, I needed to shop instore anyway. I reasoned that by now the supermarkets had had plenty of time to restock and establish a system to replenish shelves on a regular basis. After all, we were continually being told in the media that plenty of supplies were available.

The first time I went back to shop instore, a reasonable amount of supplies were available. Even though the toilet paper and tissue box shelves had been picked completely bare and not refilled, I still managed to do a relatively normal shop.

A week later, supermarkets decided to set aside early opening hours for seniors and those with disabilities to ensure they didn’t miss out on essential supplies. This sounded like a very good idea.

Reasoning that supermarkets would have to fill the shelves for senior and disabled customers, I decided to shop an hour or so after this time, on the assumption that something would have to be left over.

I was wrong. Vast expanses of shelves stood empty into the distance and even the shelves with items on them appeared bare. It was as if the supermarket hadn’t been restocked once since I’d been there the previous week.

It was hard to believe that my suburb’s seniors and disabled people had descended like locusts on the shelves and vulturised them to their metal bones. I subsequently found out that throughout Sydney, people had turned up during this special shopping hour, only to find that there was very little to buy. The shelves hadn’t been filled for these purchasers.

Other shoppers had had the same idea to turn up at this time. I couldn’t shake the Armageddon feeling as I walked through the desolate aisles. No one appeared to be panic buying. People stood in front of nearly vacant shelves, staring and shaking their heads. I wondered if they had the same Armageddon feeling as me.

There was no toilet paper or tissues in the supermarket that day either. I had to pick through the shelves to find a few treasures. Luckily I was able to purchase the fresh fruit and vegetables I needed. They weren’t in short supply. I suspect I may have to go back to online shopping again next week specifically to buy toilet paper and tissues.

For me the Armageddon feeling isn’t helped by the disconnect between the Prime Minister’s media assurances of plenty and the stark facts facing everyone that there’s not much to buy in supermarkets.

The Prime Minister has promised a stimulus package in the form of cash for many Australians. I can’t help thinking it would be more helpful to provide some of that stimulus package in the form of toilet paper and groceries.

My local supermarket.