For The Press
& VINCENT JACKSON
Carts were in short supply at area grocery stores Thursday and Friday as people rushed out to get items they need amid concerns over COVID-19.
Walmart in Egg Harbor Township and ShopRite in Somers Point had empty shelves as people bought necessities.
Toilet paper and paper towels were virtually impossible to find, while shelves with pasta, ramen noodles, canned soup, ground beef, chicken, flour, bottled water and bleach products sat mostly empty.
Through much of the week, sales in area Acme Markets have been similar to when people try to stock up before a big snowstorm or when a hurricane is forecasted.
“I would say it’s like a snowstorm on steroids,” said Dana Ward, a spokeswoman with Acme, adding that for the most part, the items selling the fastest are what you might expect, such as hand sanitizers and cleaning products — and toilet paper.
Allyson Njuyen, of Somers Point, was only concerned with getting the things her 3-year-old needs.
“I’m not worried about myself, I’m worried about my son,” Njuyen said Thursday at ShopRite. “I got all the essentials for him I can manage. I feel like Ebola, H1N1, swine flu — we didn’t make a big deal about that, so what are you gonna do?”
She said a bigger concern is how COVID-19 may affect lower economic classes if businesses close temporarily and people can’t work.
“Some people live paycheck to paycheck,” Njuyen said.
Jerome Long, owner of Never Get Tired mobile tire repair service in Galloway Township, was at Walmart stocking up on water and snacks for his kids in case schools are closed.
“It was packed in there,” Long said. “I had to wait an hour and a half for the water. My concern is the irresponsibility of others, those that may not be taking precautions with the epidemic we’re faced with.”
Long was wearing disposable gloves as a precaution. Several shoppers were doing the same, and a couple wore masks, but the majority were dressed normally.
During his trip to store, Long cited the seeming impossibility of getting hand sanitizer and questioned stores’ failure to adequately stock. Earlier this week, several stores limited the purchase of some items.
“Are they ordering more?” he asked. “Are they preparing for the overflow?”
While a bad snowstorm may bring a region to a standstill, the effects of COVID-19 are nationwide, putting strains on the supply chains for all retailers. Ward said that includes Acme and its competitors throughout the area, who are all straining to keep products on the shelves. For some items, she said, that’s meant a limit of five items per customer.
A sign hanged Friday in the customer service section of the Target in Mays Landing that said, “Due to high demand and to support all guests, we will be limiting the quantities of disinfectant wipes, hand sanitizers and hand and face wipes to six per guest.”
People have been generally looking for hand sanitizers, Lysol wipes, cleaning products, disinfectants and similar items, said Aaron Lucas, executive team leader for service and engagements at Target.
The increased buying of toilet paper is a recent development, said Lucas, 30.
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“For the last couple of weeks, it wasn’t as prevalent to see (sales of) toilet paper and paper towels, but over the last couple of days, since the NBA shut down, the public has been grabbing a lot more of that lately,” he said.
Target receives shipments daily of pretty much everything, but it can run out of stock of an item during the course of a day, similar to what happens during the holidays, Lucas said.
Target customers can order online to make sure what they want is in the store, and they can partake in drive-up pickup if they don’t want to walk into the store, Lucas said.
Michael Mitchell’s wife was at their home in Upper Township growing increasingly worried.
Michael, 34, was sent to Target, where he was successful buying some things, but not others. Mitchell could not find Lysol but got diapers, frozen vegetables, chicken broth, coffee and pancake mix, among other items, for a total of $100.
Mitchell has a 5-year-old who attends Upper Township kindergarten, and he was concerned the public school system will shut down, leaving the child at home for an extended period of time.
“My wife, she is pretty scared,” said Mitchell, who added he was done shopping for the day, but his wife might send him back out soon.
Bill Barlow contributed to this report.
