I've a question for the perceptive ones out there with better memories than mine. I've been preping (Is that stockpiling or hoarding?)for y2k for about 15 months now. Kind of following a long range plan I made when i first discovered upon the problem in May 98.

Is it just me? or are perhaps the grocery stores stocking canned items a little more heavily than in the past. I know that there is some y2k demand stuff going on such as I noticed my local Lowe's (like a Home Depot) is now selling kerosene lamps.... And thats to be suspected in servicing customer needs. But I don't see that many people having requests for canned food to justify the big piles of canned stuff in the isles. Is that normal you think? Or is it some planned push by "people in the know" to stockpile in advance? Or is it just normal they have those big piles. Or do you think the buyers know that people are gonna go shopping crazy for canned stuff after Christmas? I can't remember so many cans being present 15 months ago. Whats up?

Also... I made my last trip to Sams club last week... No shortage of any goods except for 2 items. 50 lb Rice and 50 lb Baking Flour. Both were sold out - gotta be a y2k GI thing. Everything else was in huge abundance. Including their USUAL can stockpiles.

-- A Guy (waiting@y2kGI.com), December 08, 1999

Answers

OK, here is my grocery store contribution.

I was at a freshly remodeled Kroger store in greater Atlanta two weeks ago. Much to my surprise, I found a wall (a lot of space on the tightly contested grocery store shelves!) filled with single-burner, suitcase-sized propane stoves. Must have been about fifty of them. Someone a Kroger must GI. Wish the local REI would get a clue.

Sincerely,

-- Uhhmm... (JFCP81A@aol.com), December 08, 1999.

Yeah... was in my florida walmart late last night. There were 6 guys with their portable pallet jacks bringing in the lastest stock. I was in sporting goods trying to buy some ammo (no sales clerk and it all locked up). While waiting, i looked at new boxes arrived. 1/2 of a pallet were coleman cookstoves. In a way i think this is all educated guesses that demand for certain items will increase after Christmas. I just wonder if any of this stocking is government directed?

-- A Guy (waiting@y2kgi.com), December 08, 1999.

In thirsty CA the soda in 2 litre bottles have been frequently on sale at roughly half price for months. I noticed a couple of weeks ago that some tags said the sale was to last 'til Dec. 31st. These are the recommended vesel for storing your own tap water. The prices are now going lower still...hmmm do ya think?

-- flora (***@__._), December 08, 1999.

I saw the same thing in my walmart trip the other night! Pepsi was 88 cents for 2 liters. Was such a bargain that the wife bought 3 of them. Just a great deal? or suble work of someone else. Keep in mind in our throw it away society, those bottles are gone in 3 days / 72 hours.

-- A Guy (waiting@y2kgi.com), December 08, 1999.

I live In Buffalo NY we have many Dollar stores and outlets they have had many generic forms of Spam and canned hams going for 2 cans for $1,and an outrageous amount of canned itemsto buy at 3 and 4 items for a $1. Also water prices have become much lower and sodas are on sale like crazy for several months now. But what gets me every wholesale store we have been to has ran out of 50lb. bags of beans and rice. Hmm sounds funny to me, ask any store where we can find these 50 lb. bags and no one seems to know.

-- Trixxi Afanador (Goldee324@aol.com), December 08, 1999.

This past week end we were visiting Raliegh, NC and I noticed in a local grocery store and in a Big K (Kmart) lots of cases of food sitting in the isles as displays. The top case was open on the top and in the front and the bottom case had a decorative cardboard banner wrapped around it.

In the Big K I also noticed a lot of stand alone battery displays (more than 20). Each display consisted of three tiers of batteries. These were scattered through out the store and were in addition to the shelf displays in various departments (toys, electronics, hardware) and at the registers.

At Big K there was also a lot of camping equipment. More than normal (at least in my area) for this time of year.

-- (southeastern@my-deja.com), December 08, 1999.

My wife is A manager for lucky/albertsons LV NV, from the store director they are getting in storage containers.She was told that they were going to get A lot of extra supplies thats all dont ask anymore.One quick note Wally World is across the street and they have over 20 big storage units behind and next to store.Not including all the truck trailers that are unloaded nightly.We have not seen them open them yet,they have been there for weeks.

-- nervious (nervious@lv.com), December 08, 1999.

Here in central California, a locally owned hardware store is out of the 5 gallon, pre-sealed cans of Kerosene. It was the Saturday before last. I wasn't looking to buy but was just checking to see if they still had stock at the location where they kept it in the paint dept. When the clerk asked if he could help me I asked where the kerosene was and if they still had supply. He complained to me that they couldn't find kerosene anywhere and then went on to rail against all those people who were "hoarding" kerosene because of Y2K.

I told him that if Y2K becomes a pretty bumpy ride or worse then kerosene may become a scarce commodity and that what you have prior to January 2000 may be all you get or that is available for a lo---- nnnng time. He gave me a real funny look as if I was speaking a foreign language.

I'll check back in a day or 2 to see if they got any more in.

-- S. David Bays (SDBAYS@prodigy.net), December 08, 1999.

Absolutely! And I think the food companies are encouraging as well. They are running sales constantly, and canned goods are being sold by the case at the local Harris Teeter. BTW, went to the harris teeter tonight to but shelf milk. Only three in stock. That was lower than usual.....

-- Duke1983 (Duke 1983@aol.com), December 08, 1999.

Holding down the fort here in the midwest. Lurked this site since Feb, been prepping since Oct 98, dug hand well etc. Definitely noticed store stocks go up and down. July it was 55 gallon barrels at the Sams/Wal-mart, now only locally at an army surplus type store. Oct: Sugar and flour depleted but quickly restocked. Lots of gas cans. Got five of those. Saw propane stoves too, camping in Jan anyone? Nov: 2 liter soda sale, 4 for a dollar at Meijer, completely wiped out one day before Thanksgiving. That scramble was something to see kids, like ants swarming. Dec: now it seems to be the batteries, can't get thru checkout without falling over a display. Also starting to see hand written signs taped on display shelf at one store, very devout manager refuses to open on Sunday etc. Ex: 5 1b coffee, limit one can per visit. Veggies 4 for dollar, limit 12 per person etc. You can tell the GI from DGI carts in checkout too...God help them.

-- Homecanner (tomatoes@mygarden.com), December 08, 1999.

I was wondering if it was just my imagination, or if others were noticing this too. I've been preparing only since April 1999 (finished now), but the sales on nonperishable goods and the extra abundance of them, as well as all the other items and bulk foods the GI folks would be after, have not gone unnoticed by me. Whatever the true motivation behind this phenomena, it's okay with me. Saved me a chunk of change and made my preparations more bearable.

-- Christine R. (c6h12o6@mindspring.com), December 09, 1999.

I was in my local Bruno's last night when I saw a big display by the front door. "WE ARE READY FOR Y2K-ARE YOU?" This display was heavy with toilet paper, batteries, canned food, ect. According to today's newspaper, their entire chain which includes Bruno's as well as FoodWorld stores in several Southeastern states will be doing likewise. Also if you live in the Southeast, have you looked around Winn-Dixie stores lately? You will find a lot more items handy to preparers that you did not see there this time last year. Sure some of it is cashing in on Y2K, but if these huge corporations did not see an interest, they would not bother with it.

-- J.B. (Sowingseeds@garden.net), December 10, 1999.

I live in TX. Have noticed local Kroger store having the largest sizes of powdered milk, soup in cans, dried beans, etc. than I've ever seen stocked before. Kleenex was practically all sold out this week when I went. Could be everyone has a cold. Toilet paper seems more scarce, too.

-- J. Anderson (jetjam@pdq.net), December 10, 1999.