In the Netherlands here I haven't heard anything about shortages at all to be honest. But I love a good headsup.
Talking about toilet paper.. For $25 there's a 500 piece toilet-paper-tablets. They are big and strong compressed towels that need a tiny bit of water (like drops..) and you can unwrap them. They're super easy to store. I am going to buy a pack of that. Because as a "backup" having a tiny box the side of 5 books with 500 tp. It saves space, it's affordable, and if the zombies are coming I can just have a few in my backpack knowing I am safe.
Anyway, canned foods, there is a lot of stuff besides beans and soup that we can have, like tuna and salmon and all sorts of stuff. Having some properly stored rice, flour, and honey will also help you make a variety of food from bread to home made bread when there's a few weeks of no stores open or out of stock. And every time you do groceries you can get a few things.
Just make sure you keep an eye on the shelf life so you won't waste it going back over the year(s).
One thing I recommend buying is a small wrapped up warmth blanket, those shiny ones. You can put them in between blankets if the power goes out, or in front of your windows in the bedroom during storms if the power goes down. It helps keep the cold out, and reflects the warmth on the inside. They're cheap, small, and easy to bring in a go-back in the car as well.
Another thing I will get is a water purifier - a small one that does 3 layers, so when water goes and I don't know if I can trust it what I find, that I have a backup. They're also affordable and you can just forget about it until you need to take care of your family or at least yourself.
I am not a prepper, haha, and I should do a lot more! But, .. some basics that help you make it through two weeks when there's a panic suddenly: why not.
During black friday sales on amazon I have purchased quite a bunch of stuff that I still have today, and haven't even fully gone through. From tablets to do dishes with to soap for washing machine. It's way more affordable, and it's easier to buy a box with 12 to 24 packs/pieces of something.
Toilet paper I just buy once a year. I buy a 96 or 48 pack, depending on how much I have. They're comfy layered ones and affordable, and during black friday deals so cheap. But like i said, ill get another pack this year and i will get the tablets as well (because you can leave 10 in the car, 10 in a bag, and they're the size of a thick coin individually.
Amazon sells a pack of 24 or 48 cans of coca cola, and I think i might buy that during black friday if I can. or when i see a sale. Just like what nix said: just put it in storage.. it will be warm enough there to not freeze and explode. But I have some plastic containers that have air holes. I can put them in there just in case. I dont' want leakage.
Oats and pasta, i think i will go to an asian shop here, they have massive bags here very cheap. I might buy one of those seal container bags and a container to put that in. And move it in there. So that will be good for decades. Might do the same for oats and stuff. WHO KNOWS.
Shit, am i turning into a prepper now? haha
Petrol? I can't. . i dont have a need for it, but.. those eh .. bottles that you can use with gas, i can't think of the name. campers use them. i might buy 3 of those just in case we stop getting gas and i can that way still in a safe way make fire to cook water and food.
Anyway, i understand that logistics change in the world. but everybody panicking and buying things afraid of a shortage is a self fulfilling prophecy of course; that will create a shortage. Hopefully we are just wasting our money and everything will be okay.
I dont want a room filled with things i will then never use, but i do want some items that let me survive in my flat for a few weeks without gas, water, and electricity. And i want some of those items to be easy to take with me in a go bag in case we have to leave (like in a flood when a dyke breaks or fire).
