Being prepared – but I’m not a ‘doomsday prepper’

It’s a natural human condition to be concerned about the future. It’s so deep in our DNA to want to prepare for the worst in times of uncertainty.

Many Australians at the moment are critical of governments over a lengthy period for what we perceive as a failure to plan for times like these.  And so, we often then take matters into our own hands, which we are starting to see right now from fuel purchases to grocery stockpiling.

As an island nation, we receive much of what we consume by boat, much of which passes through the Strait of Hormuz off the coast of Iran and the cascading effects of the war are interfering with energy inputs and supply chains. 

Diesel equals fresh food.

We got through the Covid pandemic, and I have no doubt we will get through the current period of uncertainty but that said, it has already changed my behaviour as a consumer. 

At each grocery shop, I am now getting extra non-perishable items such as cans of food and the necessities of modern life, and I am definitely not someone who thinks of themselves as a ‘doomsday prepper’. Don’t get me wrong, I am not rushing out and panic buying, but I am adding a little extra each time I shop.

The days of supermarkets holding large amounts of stock onsite have long gone. Modern day supermarkets are stocked ‘just in time’ and are resupplied by a steady convoy of trucks; however, with interruptions to the supply of diesel, this will be more difficult.

As a nation we have under-prepared, but as individuals and in business, we can prepare. As the prospect of shrinking fuel and food supplies becomes a reality, I reckon it’s prudent to add a little extra each time you shop. Being prepared will help us all through what may become a difficult period to navigate. In the meantime, let’s trust that the war comes to an end as quickly as possible.