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I went grocery shopping this morning. Food Lion at 7 AM when they opened and then to Publix at 8 AM. About 20 people at each store when they opened. Between the two stores, got everything on my list except a sweet red pepper. Did have to substitute 2% milk for 1%. Cleaning supplies/paper goods were gone, but I was not shopping for those things. Stores were peaceful, no one seems to be agitated.
While I am concerned about people hoarding, I think I am more concerned about how many posts, in this and the numerous other Covid19 threads, have posters talking about MULTIPLE shopping trips in a relatively short amount of time. Seems as though more people are afraid of shortages than they are of actually picking up the virus through 'social contact', as if grocery stores are an exception of some sort.
I'm having to do multiple trips because I can't find any food. Chicken, beef, and frozen vegetables have been out of stock almost 2 weeks. Today the brand of coffee I use was out. So I can either keep going back till I find what I want, or I can switch to prepared food, which I generally don't care for. But I might have to if I can't find real food by next week.
I live within walking distance to a nice Fry's (Kroger) market in Tucson. They open at 5 or 6 am, and I am normally up at 6 am so I have decided to make that my time for grocery store visits. There are very few people shopping at that hour, so chances of contamination from someone else is low. The clean up crew and shelf stockers are busy all night, so that's also a plus of early morning shopping. I wear disposable gloves, and use plastic bags in the fresh veggie department to grab stuff with.
So far, I have not have had problems buying most things that I normally consume. The fresh fruit and veggie aisles remain very well stocked, and those are my staples for most meals. No problem buying chicken, fish or eggs either.
This evening I went to CVS to buy one bottle of isopropryl alcohol. I needed that in order to make home-made hand sanitizer. 1/4 cup aloe vera gel + 1/2 cup alcohol + tbsp of vitamin e oil. I tried buying the alcohol earlier this week, but the guy at the counter told me to come back today at 6 pm, shortly after their bi-weekly re-supply truck unloads. It is helpful when people at the stores understand the re-supply schedule for certain high demand products. Thanks CVS!
What is so dumb about panic buying is you are upsetting the balance of inventory at the warehouse where the resupply comes from at the end of the day,each night by truck.
They keep an inventory of generally two days worth of supply,when it is stripped,the resupply takes a long time at the warehouse.
I spoke with the store manager here and said it would be 2-4 weeks before they could get the store fully stocked again. He also said they had people from other towns coming in because they couldn't buy anything where they lived
I'm having to do multiple trips because I can't find any food. Chicken, beef, and frozen vegetables have been out of stock almost 2 weeks. Today the brand of coffee I use was out. So I can either keep going back till I find what I want, or I can switch to prepared food, which I generally don't care for. But I might have to if I can't find real food by next week.
Where in the world are you?
Yes, some stores here have been in short supply of certain foods. Around here, it's a situation "they don't have corn, so I have to eat edamame" type of thing. No one is going hungry, and most of the basis have been resupplied.
Yes, some stores here have been in short supply of certain foods. Around here, it's a situation "they don't have corn, so I have to eat edamame" type of thing. No one is going hungry, and most of the basis have been resupplied.
There are some advantages to living in smaller towns and more rural areas as people are now discovering.
Saw this on Reddit. Walmart worker says they spread out the shelf-stocking throughout the day otherwise the 6AM mob would take everything. Gives everyone a chance. Even with a two item limit, would not take long to figure out to go in, load the car, back in for two more. Repeat until your garage is full. Or your credit card runs out.
YOU are the problem. Don't freaking overbuy and hoard. In order for this to work EVERYONE should have access to cleaning supplies. 50 bottles of bleach sitting in your basement does NOBODY any good, and in fact INCREASES the chances you personally will catch this.
Thank you!!!
Quote:
Originally Posted by CatPeople
Saw this on Reddit. Walmart worker says they spread out the shelf-stocking throughout the day otherwise the 6AM mob would take everything. Gives everyone a chance.
Instacart might be a possible alternative. It’s what I use normally. I felt bad for the shoppers (still do, but they are taking precautions, especially no-contact delivery.
There are a couple of different choices for shopping (monthly fee or 1 year fee covers all deliveries, both require your order to be over a certain amount, but I assume most are like me - and buy the same products repeatedly so if i have to buy extra coffee! It’s fine - won’t go to waste.
For me, given the high prices at the only grocery pay store I can get to on my own is so expensive that using Instacart (and Amazon for certain things) it ends up being cheaper - if I’m careful.
Instacart will have a list of stores available. No Walmart, yet. I’m my area, shopping is available WP for:
Safeway
Fry’s (grocery, not electronics)
Basha’s
Sprouts
Albertson’s
CvS
Walgreens
It allows me to buy from stores I wouldn’t be able to. You can interact with your shopper while in the store if you forgot something - as well as choose substitutes if the exact item is not available - otpr you can choose to skip that item. My shoppers have sent photos of their progress and success adding an item. It’s so much fun.
The most fun thing, though, is you can see the shoppers location and progress on a map from store to you’re home. I love this feature way more than I should. I love seeing the little stickpin more. : )
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Regarding the health crisis we are in, Instacart (and other such services) are required to take precautions regular shoppers might not, and fewer people are in the stores (many shop in couples in my area -seniors and elderly, for whom this type of service could be lifesaving. In other areas, people shop with kids, etc. though not these days I imagine).
I wipe down the items based on current info - a pain, but better to be safe than sorry. Especially for things used right away. But this is something some virologists/ID docs, epidemiologists suggest doing either way.
Note — during this crisis if you use a service like this, please OVERTIP. As much as you can. These frontline workers are brave and really help keep people safe. Especially those of us who are older, immuno-compromized, or with mild symptoms of a cold (or worse) and don’t want to spread germs
I don’t see a downside for such a service for seniors, fragile folks or with mild symptoms at this time. That said, normally, shopping is a crucial social and physical part of staying healthy, but not now.
If needed, an adult child could look into it, set it up, even do the ordering because for some, interaction with technology becomes difficult and stressful for some.
I’m not elderly, but I’ve had a horrible dry cough for 2 two weeks (I think I’m safe from the virus as I haven’t left my home or been in contact with another human through March. I’ve mentioned elsewhere - my neighbors don’t need germ exposure of any kind, so I’m in hermit mode)
My local Safeway just sent a text that all prescriptions can be delivered now too, which could be another real help for retirees, seniors and elders. They need to be kept safe.
YOU are the problem. Don't freaking overbuy and hoard. In order for this to work EVERYONE should have access to cleaning supplies. 50 bottles of bleach sitting in your basement does NOBODY any good, and in fact INCREASES the chances you personally will catch this.
Couldn't have said it better. The paranoid panic shoppers are the ones who cause problems for everybody else.
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