Panic Buying Creates Shortages

Panic Buying Creates Shortages

Michelle Pinon News Advertiser

Even though it’s business as usual, it’s not quite usual, as shoppers continue to amass larger quantities of food in response to COVID-19.

Early Friday morning, (March 20), inside Adam’s No Frills in Vegreville nearly every shopping cart contained a mega pack of toilet paper. The limit was one per customer. Posted inside the entrance of WalMart was a security guard keeping an eye on customers who came and went about their shopping.

Glen McLay, General Manager of the Vegreville & District Co-op, said panic buying began March 12. Even though the store has always had limits on items, McLay said people began buying larger than normal volumes of food, creating shortages in some products. One recent example, noted McLay, came when staff was unloading packages of meat and didn’t have a chance to put meat in the cooler because customers began grabbing the packages. Flour is another food staple that has been snatched up quickly by shoppers. “If people bought their normal purchases there would be enough for everybody,” stated McLay.

“It’s not a supply issue it’s a trucking issue,” explained McLay. As stores continue to order more products, warehouse employees are working longer hours and truckers are having to make more deliveries in a shorter amount of time because shoppers continue to hoard supplies. “Nobody realizes how important truckers are. But truckers can’t drive 24 hours a day and they need to take breaks.” In an effort to assist truckers, McLay said they have been accepting deliveries outside of normal business hours.

Some grocery stores have started to open an hour earlier to accommodate seniors and the disabled. McLay said they continue operating during normal business hours. The Co-op has always offered a delivery service for customers. Generally, the store makes six deliveries a week, but because of the health crisis, has doubled that number. McLay said his main message is for people to stop hoarding and start sharing with each other.

Adam’s No Frills has begun opening an hour earlier on Tuesday and Thursday mornings, 8-9 a.m., to allow seniors and the disabled to shop. As stated on its website: “No Frills is a chain of deep discount supermarkets in Canada, with over 200 franchise stores located in nine Canadian provinces. No Frills has thousands of products to choose from, including fresh produce, meat and the very popular President’s Choice, as well as no name line of products.” On the No Frills Facebook page, it stated: “To meet ongoing demand in our stores and our distribution centres we are looking to hire temporary staff.”

Galen G. Weston, Loblaws CEO released a statement following the announcement of the Canadian boarders closing amid the spread of COVID- 19. “Those of you who went shopping recently would have seen extraordinary numbers of people in stores, long lines and aisles of empty product. This was a result of extreme buying, millions of Canadians stocked up on their kitchens and medicine cabinets.

Weston also reassured customers they were not running out of food or essential supplies and their supply chain and store teams were responding quickly. He also said they would not raise a single price on any item to take advantage of COVID-19.

Horacio Barbeito, Walmart Canada’s president and CEO, provided an update on the status of its stores on March 20.

Barbeito stated: “Our stores will remain open. We’re working with all levels of government to ensure grocers and pharmacies will be there for Canadian families. We’ll dedicate the opening hour of stores exclusively for seniors, the disabled and those with vulnerable health conditions. There’s plenty of food and supplies. Our teams are working around the clock to replenish our shelves to deal with demand.

To manage supply, some stores are limiting quantities per customer to ensure there are more products available for more customers. Pickup and delivery demand is high. To help Canadians self-isolate, we’ve made changes to Walmart.ca to allow grocery home deliveries to be left at their door. Walmart Canada is hiring. We want to immediately hire 10,000 more associates in our stores and distribution centres.” Galen G. Weston, Loblaws CEO released a statement following the announcement of the Canadian boarders closing amid the spread of COVID- 19. “Those of you who went shopping recently would have seen extraordinary numbers of people in stores, long lines and aisles of empty product. This was a result of extreme buying, millions of Canadians stocked up on their kitchens and medicine cabinets.

Weston also reassured customers they were not running out of food or essential supplies and their supply chain and store teams were responding quickly. He also said they would not raise a single price on any item to take advantage of COVID-19.