Stores Begin to Reimpose Purchase Limits on Toilet Paper in Wake of New Coronavirus Lockdowns
Meanwhile, politicians are decrying the panic-buying their policies have inspired.
As Coronavirus Task Force member and general pandemic nuisance Dr. Anthony Fauci presses Americans to “do what they’re told,” there is a clear sign that people are preparing for stricter coronavirus lockdowns.
Toilet paper is beginning to fly off the shelves. Of course, the state officials who are imposing these new restrictions are the first to decry the panic-buying they have inspired.
In announcing new statewide restrictions aimed at reducing the spike in COVID-19 cases, Gov. Jay Inslee on Sunday urged people not to hoard “supplies.”
“Buying up everything really hurts everybody,” Inslee said, “and there’s no necessity of it right now.”
But while the man didn’t specifically call out toilet paper, the toilet paper sure did call to shoppers.
At some Seattle stores on Sunday, in a throwback to earlier days of the pandemic, people were already buying up stacks of bathroom tissue, which seems to turn to spun gold when things look grim.
Costco ran out of the stuff over the weekend, and there was none to be found Sunday at the Safeway on Madison Street in Seattle, or the QFC on Rainier Avenue South.
Stores are bringing back the purchase limits for certain products, which were lifted after the curve was completely flattened.
Kroger, the largest grocery chain in the U.S., has imposed purchase limits on essential goods like bath tissue, paper towels, disinfecting wipes and hand soap, according to Fox Business.
“To ensure all customers have access to what they need, we’ve proactively and temporarily set purchase limits to two per customer on certain products,” a spokesperson told the network.
The new limits will apply both to in-store purchases and those made online. Consumers are expected to stock up on essential goods as autumn turns to winter and a worsening of the virus is anticipated.
Publix, a chain that operates mainly in the South, imposed restrictions last week on paper towels and bath tissue. This was in response to high demand from customers, according to Progressive Grocer. Limits on the quantity that can be purchased is based on individual stores.
Many consumer goods and food suppliers are stepping up production, hoping to prevent shortages.
…[M]ajor food companies – including Campbell Soup CPB.N, Kraft Heinz KHC.O and McCormick & Co MKC.N – told Reuters or have said publicly that they have taken measures like changing their production, packaging or pricing so retailers can keep shelves stocked.
Their steps include expanding manufacturing, hiring more workers, re-routing products from restaurants to grocery stores, and turning to bigger pack sizes. Many of their moves came at a high financial cost.
Economists say shoppers realize they can’t afford to overspend, and therefore, aren’t likely to make binge purchases.
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Once Mr Sniffly & Camel-face get in… Get ready for rationing gas, food, electric…
Welcome to Venezuela North…
Do what you are told is the new masthead for the white house…
Along with arbeit marcht frei…
Dr. Death Becomes Biden Coronavirus Advisor
Denying medical services to the elderly is one way to keep costs down.
https://www.frontpagemag.com/fpm/2020/11/dr-death-becomes-biden-coronavirus-advisor-don-feder/
“Denying medical services…”
A staple of government controlled “healthcare”.
Where I live in CA there’s no need to ration it … because ya can’t find it to begin with. If ya don’t have it … ya can’t ration it. Costco today … no TP, no paper towels and barely any bottled water.
In NE Pennsylvania there have been limits on paper products since March; that’s why I’ve bought some every week – a 4-pack here, or 2 rolls there – knowing that the product won’t spoil.
I’ve got about 30 rolls of each in reserve.
The New York Times And The Washington Post along with all of your local communist newspapers and they’re all communist by now are way cheaper than TP.
At least we have warning this time around.
Never fails. Put up a sign saying “limit 2”, and people who had no intention of buying any at all suddenly discover a need for 2. Artificial shortages.
For people who are too young to remember (most of the population, anymore), this is what “hoarding” is all about. I wonder when they’ll start passing out ration cards.
And, who gets the “special” ration cards.
I just happened to be at Costco Sunday and was amazed that the paper products were gone. Stopped at Kroger too for milk. Dairy products were long gone too. I picked up some meat to freeze and eggs for good measure. This is craziness. Comrade Governor Whitless here in Michigan really as no idea what kind of hysteria her knee jerk policies have on the citizens.
Whitless needs to be Impeached.
Aren’ t firing squads for traitors traditional?
I am amazed that the TP is gone because it sucks. ☹️ I bought the Costco pack back when there was no Charmin around and I have regretted it for months. YMMV.
The quality of Kirkland/Costco brand TP took a sharp dive about a year ago. It had been comparable to Charmin up until then. Now, it’s more industrial grade.
Thanks. I will have to find some Charmin for this next lockdown nonsense. Life’s too short for lousy TP.
The 15-day “flatten the curve” lockdowns that will soon celebrate their first anniversary have weakened supply chains and food producers. If the Communists follow through with their threat to impose yet another lockdown, we may start to see real food shortages.
So instead of hoarding toilet paper I would start to collect large quantities of non-perishable food items. And by “large quantities” I mean several months or more. I have begun collecting and storing for this possibility.
If food shortages don’t come to pass I can always donate to the local church pantry. Heaven knows the Biden administration will radically increase poverty and suffering.
They should just jack up the price. That’ll stop the people from buying more than what they really need. If a 12-pack of TP were priced around $20 people would think twice about buying five packages at a time. This is the purpose of price in the first place. The price of something sends out all sorts of signals to the business world.
However, that would be “price gouging” wouldn’t it. And, we can’t have tried and true economic principles governing our market place when the government know so much more about pricing things. Just ask the central planners from the old Soviet Union. They’re probably part of Biden’s transition team.
Florida law forbids “price gouging” during declared states of emergency. A “state of emergency”, limited by law to 30 days but with a new declaration of emergency rubber stamped every 30 days, is how Florida counties are enforcing their mask and lockdown orders despite the governor having nominally lifted mask and lockdown orders.
In CA where I shop … when they have it … Bounty paper towels, 6 rolls, $16 …
Ammo shelves are barren too. Thankfully, I’ve got 2 steer ready for butcher at any time, and a few months worth of food stocked up. For some reason, I don’t think there will be the appetite for another lock down in Montana though. The red wave here should ensure that.
I was going to change my monthly TP order from Amazon to every 2 months instead of every month since the kids moved out. My better half said “NO!“. Her sisters- working in health care, told her they were planning another shutdown in the fall. Three months ago.
Went to Costco here in central Florida, and not a roll of TP or paper towels to be found.
Me again. 😉 TP I can understand, but what’s with the paper towels? I use maybe a roll a month. Maybe. And I don’t generally try to be “sustainable.”
Same here in CA …
At 9:30 AM in Walmart outside of Phoenix there were no cleaning supplies, TP or paper towels and our governor is not one of the crazy leaders. I also have been stocking up on canned goods just in case the federal government decides we need to slow the curve again.
If I’m a truck driver, I tell my company that I’m not driving as long as the pandemic is rolling. If that means no food for Washington so be it, according to the politicians this virus is really dangerous and no way would I risk my life for anyone.
Of course if they offered 10 times or more the normal rate of pay I might be persuaded to risk my life hauling freight but only if my mileage took me on the longest way to get to the drop off point.
But the thought of Washington going into food riots and out right gun fights in grocery stores would have me looking at youtube a lot.
are they really pulling out the toilet paper thing again?
personally, i’m still drawing down from the stock up i did last march. i haven’t bought any more since april!