Panic-buyers crowd Gwent supermarkets as snow looms

1:50pm Thursday 17th January 2013 in News

EMPTY SHELVES: An Argus reader sent in this picture of empty bread shelves in Abertillery's Tesco store EMPTY SHELVES: An Argus reader sent in this picture of empty bread shelves in Abertillery's Tesco store

SUPERMARKET staff in Cwmbran were struggling to cope today with the unexpected crowds of shoppers, looking to beat tomorrow's forecast of heavy snow across Gwent.

By 9am, there were shoppers at every check-out in Asda, with people also queuing to use the self-service tills.

Half an hour later, the queues at the check-outs in Sainsbury's were five or six deep, blocking aisles, with many people choosing to do their big weekly shop a day or two earlier than usual.

As tannoy announcements apologised for the delays and assured that every till possible was now manned, the mood in the queues was good-humoured.

"I always shop on a Thursday morning. I'm usually in and out in a few minutes," said one woman, who did not wish to be named.

Another, with a big trolley of shopping, said: "I wasn't going to bother, but then I saw (from the town centre) how busy the car park was getting, and thought I'd better."

It seemed the worry wasn't the light snowfall that fell from around 7am to midday today, but the worry caused by the forecast for tomorrow.

Petrol stations are also much busier than normal, with vehicles using the BP garage on Malpas Road, Newport, queuing back from the pumps almost onto the road.

Comments(18)

kalwales@hotmail.com says...
1:52pm Thu 17 Jan 13

Why doesnt everyone GET A GRIP !!

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richardthedutchman says...
2:59pm Thu 17 Jan 13

IDIOTS!

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County says...
3:32pm Thu 17 Jan 13

If the mood was good-humoured it wasn't panic was it?! People doing their shopping early because we're going to get heavy snow, that's not idiotic, it's sensible.

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ianzemma says...
3:51pm Thu 17 Jan 13

It's snowing!....Quick rush in sheer panic to the store, & buy ALL of the milk & bread! Milk sandwiches are our ONLY hope of surviving winter weather!

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kalwales@hotmail.com says...
4:39pm Thu 17 Jan 13

people forget the possiblity of power failure due to extreme weather so most will go off anyway x

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County says...
5:11pm Thu 17 Jan 13

Put it outside then. I don't understand what use petrol will be though, maybe they're planning to build bonfires.

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Vauxfiat says...
5:29pm Thu 17 Jan 13

My Wife works for Tesco on the checkouts and she had a customer buy 9 loaves of bread during the last lot of snow and she said to my wife 'Don't know why people are panic buying'.. She then piped up 'I'm not panic buying bread. My son likes sandwiches'!!!
Yeah right.........
Just to end. Why is alcohol still on the shelves. Why don't panic buyers buy that as well??

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Dolieboy says...
5:33pm Thu 17 Jan 13

So glad they added the picture of empty bread shelves. Had no idea what they looked like.

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spanner100 says...
5:40pm Thu 17 Jan 13

IDIOTIC MORONS!!1

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Strider says...
6:14pm Thu 17 Jan 13

These morons cause a shortage by panic buying and will probably bin half that food!!! Words fail me!!

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Dee-Gee says...
11:35pm Thu 17 Jan 13

Why do they always go for the bread?

It's a rubbish emergency food - goes stale in a couple of days even if stored well, is ruined if it gets wet... panic buying potatoes or tins I could understand, but why bread?

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LL3W80 says...
5:54am Fri 18 Jan 13

I work in a Newport supermarket, and yesterday I stood in amazement as I watched someone pass by with 6 6pt bottles of milk and proceeded to pick up several loaves of bread...
It's not the snow that causes panic-buying, it's idiots like that who buy stupid quantities, most of which will most likely be thrown out in a few days time.

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Libby5 says...
10:53am Fri 18 Jan 13

Why the panic? If you can walk to the City Centre Newport Market is open and they have all fresh food available - meat, fish, veg - the lot!.It is also worth noting that buying from there we know where the food is coming from and there won't be any horse in the burgers! Look at little closer some of the stall holders in Newport Market have won impressive awards for the quality of their food. Since moving to Newport from London, I always go there - in London people love the markets - so much better than the supermarkets!

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Lewis UK says...
11:10am Fri 18 Jan 13

I dont quite undertand the logic of buying bread and Milk. Most milk and bread lasts longer than the snow will be here. I can understand doing shoping early but not buying larger than usual quantitys. I dont think bread and milk are essentials anyway. If i beelived i would be stuck in the snow for a week i would rather buy large quantitys of choclate. I have bread and milk for sale at higly inflated prices if anyone needs then urgently i could deliver at a charge.

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maindeegirl says...
2:05pm Fri 18 Jan 13

Well said Libby5! People are glad of local shops at times like this when they can't get the car out.Try using them more often & the big supermarkets & out of town stores can take a running jump .

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brainfreeze says...
2:28pm Fri 18 Jan 13

Quite right, the local butchers was open this morning and had much better quality meat than the water filled horsey stuff from the supermarkets.

Support your local trade or don't complain when it disappears!!

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muzzy73 says...
10:08pm Fri 18 Jan 13

well i don't understand them selling out , I went to corner shop @ about 4.30/5pm last night and got 2 loafs (as cheaper to buy 2 @ same time) I also got butter , then went up the same shop this morning to get milk and they had some :)

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Gw Ent says...
12:54pm Thu 24 Jan 13

Gwent does not exist. It was a failed local government experiment. Born 1974 to universal hatred. Died 1996 - SIXTEEN YEARS AGO!

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