CALL FOR CALM BY SHOPPERS
Politicians and leading supermarkets are calling for calm amid an apparent surge in bulk-buying and reports of shoppers spending
$1500 at the tills as they stockpile essentials over fears about coronavirus.
Shoppers have emptied shelves in some stores, targeting staples such as bread, rice and pasta and buying up toilet paper, water, medicines and cleaning products in bulk.
Supermarket giants insist there is plenty of food to go round and have urged people to shop normally.
But at Countdown on Moorhouse Ave in Christchurch, stocks of rice, pasta, canned foods, paracetamol, dishwashing liquid and soap were low yesterday.
Some desperate shoppers spent
$1400 to $1500 a time, one staff member said, buying three trolley-loads of goods in one visit.
Countdown has been forced to limit sales of paracetamol and hand sanitiser products to two per person to help manage demand.
Foodstuffs, which operates the New World and Pak ’n Save supermarket chains, is also out of hand sanitiser and face masks amid major global demand, and is uncertain when stocks will be replenished.
Photos of empty supermarket shelves around the country have been posted widely on social media, with people criticising instances of shopper hoarding.
In Australia, Woolworths is combating the problem by introducing dedicated opening hours for elderly and disabled people to ensure they can buy key items.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Consumer Affairs Minister Kris Faafoi have called on people to shop normally and not panic-buy, saying that supermarkets were able to get hold of goods as freight was not affected by travel restrictions.
Faafoi said supermarket leaders had told him that while stores were busy, they did not characterise it as panic-buying.
‘‘Customers should think of their fellow New Zealanders who may not be able to buy what they need because others have over-purchased to stockpile.’’
But the message is yet to reach some aisles, with Queenstown Lakes mayor Jim Boult appealing for people to be sensible amid panic-buying in the Otago town over the weekend.
‘‘Pick up a few extra items as part of your regular shop, as opposed to loading your trolley with 20 packs of pasta and a mountain of loo roll,’’ he said.
‘‘Cool heads and a community spirit will go a long way to the district as a whole recovering well from Covid-19. There is no need to push the panic button on this.’’
Volunteers have also mobilised to take food from shops to people who are in isolation there.
Several shops in Christchurch reported being busier than normal and having people buying in bulk in recent days.
Pak ’n Save in Wainoni had very limited stocks of rice, pasta and pasta sauce yesterday, with tinned food getting low and no paracetamol or disinfectant. Staff said the store had been ‘‘packed’’ with shoppers over the weekend, many of whom were stocking up.
Customers at Countdown at The Palms shopping centre in Shirley have been buying up nonperishable items such as toilet paper and water, though staff said there was plenty of stock on the shelves, while Countdown at Church Corner in Riccarton was out of some brands of paracetamol and anti-bacterials yesterday.
But other stores, including New World in Stanmore and Pak ’n Save in Riccarton, reported little sign of panic-buying.
Countdown and Foodstuffs said they were taking the situation with coronavirus seriously and had plans in place to ensure food could reach customers.
Countdown health and safety general manager Kiri Hannifin said: ‘‘Our teams and suppliers are working hard to get food and other groceries through the network and onto shelves as quickly as possible.
‘‘The most important message we can give Kiwis is that there is plenty of food to go around, and there’s no need to stockpile.’’
A Foodstuffs spokeswoman said: ‘‘Many household essentials are seeing significant increases in sales including toilet paper, bread and milk. These products are made or manufactured in New Zealand and are not under threat. Shoppers should purchase these items like they normally would. Our supply chain is extremely robust.’’
The Christchurch City Mission has also seen a small number of families turning to its food bank as a result of jobs being affected.
City missioner Matthew Mark said: ‘‘That’s probably the area next most likely to impact on us – if a lot of people start losing work and need food support, because many families are already just living on the breadline as it is.’’
‘‘Customers should think of their fellow New Zealanders who may not be able to buy what they need because others have over-purchased to stockpile.’’
Kris Faafoi
Consumer Affairs Minister