I have just been shopping (it's 14:25 dec 31)

Very few people appear to be worried, most buying to cover themselves for the holiday and to celebrate. Only some people appear to have stocked up. Those that have stocked up dont seem to have got anywhere near enough. If it goes bad.

-cheers David L.

-- david letcher (david.letcher@mannin.com.au), December 30, 1999

Answers

Response to supermarket shopping on dec. 31

I am finding the same thing in Birmingham, AL. BUT . . . there is NO Coleman fuel available, in any of several Wal-Marts, K-Marts, and sporting goods stores, and won't be for another week or so. Bottled water is selling briskly, as are canned goods. My wife went to her usual ATM this a.m. and it would not dispense any cash. Either it was "down" or it was "out". This is a first with this particular machine as far as she can remember. Kerosene is selling well, but there is still plenty where I checked. Also plenty of 5 gal. (blue) jugs available at a local Lowe's. Gasoline is still plentiful, but may go quickly tomorrow. Most folks have not stocked up, apparently. Most who have, have only enough for a few days to 2 wks. worth.

-- D Mason (dmason@asqnet.org), December 30, 1999.

Response to supermarket shopping on dec. 31

Bloomington, IN:

My favorite Y2K supplies display so far:

At the eastside Osco, bottled water is displayed under the "Celebrate The Holidays" banner. Lamp Oil is displayed under the "Millennium Collectables" sign.

Words to the wise...

-- Michael Redman (redman@indepen.com), December 30, 1999.

Response to supermarket shopping on dec. 31

From the news coverage mostly at midnight on television, the theme is consistantly "Not to worry. We have it under control.", it is no wonder that few people are worried. All of the mainstream media, local, and out of town consistantly report that things are "normal". I have been in the stores obtaining my own supplies, and watching others. Not until today (Dec. 30) have I seen anything that resembled "stocking up". It is almost too quiet-even eerie! I'm starting to feel that it is all some kind of a dream. Spooky!

-- JAMES BEECH (JDSEEK@AOL.COM), December 31, 1999.

Response to supermarket shopping on dec. 31

Duh..?

-- Spuoff (Clostomy@SPRINTMAIL.COM), December 31, 1999.

From the "New Utah" Magazine January 5, 2000 Volume 22 No. 1

Lehi residents respond 48 hours before Y2K By Cathy Allred

LEHI - There was a mild controlled panic in Lehi 48 hours before Y2K was to hit the nation. Albertsons had their second greatest day in sales on New Years Eve, second only to Christmas Eve sales by $3,000, which is a small sum for a grocery superstore. And L.W.s Chevron had unprecedented sales  second only to the usual Fourth of July record.

We pumped 500 gallons of propane and normally we do 40 to 50 gallons at most, said Tamera Southworth. It was constant from eight in the morning until 6:15 p.m. straight through, added the L.W. employee.

The increase in business was taken in stride.

It was kind of fun, I enjoyed it, said L.W. manager Peggy Cunnigham. I ran out of antifreeze way early. They were buying a lot of preparedness supplies. We sold over 10,000 gallons in gasoline and average in Lehi during the winter is 7,000 gallons.

Albertsons ran out of propane in their propane exchange and had runs on their water, flour and large bags of sugar.

Customers bought up anything that was on bonus buy that you could buy as a case, said store manager Annadel Nelson. We sold a lot of water containers, storage containers and there was a big run on toilet paper.

Their distribution center for the region ran out of bottled water. They normally have a two weeks supply.

This store for example sold nine pallets of water in three days, said Paul Thompson. We had a big run on water containers too; we sold all of our 55 and 15 gallon containers, said the store director. We sold an extreme amount of canned goods  chili, ramen, and soups above and beyond normal. Triple. Thursday and Friday were both crazy.

Amid the bustling business, customers were outwardly calm and polite. Although some were in denial. One customer particulary brought smiles to Thompsons face as he recalled the story.

This lady was loading up with cases of food and Paul said to her, So are you getting ready for Y2K? and she said Oh no, but I will need five of these storage containers, said Nelson.

And she bought flashlights, batteries and propane too, said Thompson.

Will it be business as usual in January?

Bread and milk, thats it, said the backup bookkeeper Jodi Evans.

It takes four days for the store to get back in stock and they expected to be back to normal by yesterday

-- Jennifer Bunker (Salt Lake City, Utah (jen@bunkergroup.com), January 06, 2000.