Are the stores setting up special return lines for all the unused survival gear?
People bringing back 2 cases of propane and 10 cases of bottled water at a time.
Heh…not around here. Most of the stores here had “No Refund” policies for certain items. Many even marked these items on the customer’s receipt.
Lotsa folks got stuck with those cases of bottled water…
-David
If most people filled their car’s gas tanks like me, then we should be facing a gas shortage.
This story is from the British national newspaper The Guardian (editorial leaning: centre/slightly left/liberal). I would have listed a link to the article, but their web edition only stores articles for 7 days.
That millennium cash frenzy: it’s 2p each so far
John Cassy and Jill Treanor
Thursday December 30, 1999
The demand for cash that many banks had forecast in the run-up to the millennium has so far failed to materialise, with just £1m having been drawn from special reserves - or around 2p for every man, woman and child in the UK.
The Bank of England has stockpiled £8bn of banknotes around the country to cope with demand in case the millennium bug causes cash machines, credit cards and telephone banking operations to malfunction. Combined with the extra notes placed into circulation around Christmas it meant there was £1,000 for every man, woman and child in the country.
But so far the rush has been little more than hype, according to the Association for Payment Clearing Services, which supervises money moved around the financial system.
“There has been no millennium effect at all so far,” an Apacs spokesman said. “However, with two days to go we are not taking any chances and remain on our guard.”
The Bank has the ability to release £50bn of notes over the holiday period. It has been printing cash 24 hours a day for months to ensure there is no shortage. Demand has been near record levels over the Christmas period, Apacs said, but millennium-induced hysteria has been largely absent with consumers mainly using credit and debit cards.
Much of the extra £8bn has been sent to bank branches in £25,000 bricks of £10 and £20 notes, sealed and marked “special millennium arrangement”. Bank staff have been told not to open the packages unless they have to because once the seal is broken the branch has to “buy” the money from the Bank.
But dozens of curious clerks have opened them regardless. “We’ve had packs unnecessarily opened at 20 of our branches,” said a source at one high street bank. “The staff wanted to know what was so special about these special millennium packages.”
I never touched him, ref, honest!