The shelves of some small-town grocery stores and pharmacies are being stripped by out-of-town residents.
With the media full of images of shoppers in large communities lined up around the corner of big box stores, and row after row of empty shelves inside, some big city residents are flocking to small outlying communities in search of supplies.
What started as anecdotal stories circulating in small towns is now being confirmed by those on the front lines.
B次元官网网址淎bsolutely, people are coming from somewhere else,B次元官网网址� says an employee at I.D.A. Pharmacy in Ashcroft. The town of 1,600 people is located an hourB次元官网网址檚 drive from Kamloops, and about an hour and a half from Merritt and Lillooet.
B次元官网网址淭wo women from Merritt who have relatives here phoned them and asked if we had toilet paper in Ashcroft. They were told B次元官网网址榶esB次元官网网址�, so they came with about 20 of their friends in several vehicles and loaded up on stuff.B次元官网网址�
She says that the B次元官网网址渂ig sixB次元官网网址� things people come looking for are toilet paper, hand sanitizer, rubbing alcohol, masks, gloves, and thermometers. The store has been making its own hand sanitizer, which has sold out twice, but toilet paper remains the number one item people are seeking.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檝e had people come up to me in the toilet paper aisle several times, telling me theyB次元官网网址檙e from Merritt and Lillooet and theyB次元官网网址檙e out of toilet paper there.B次元官网网址�
She says that most people have been understanding.
B次元官网网址淲e have a sign up saying two [packs] per person. On March 17, we found six packages of toilet paper in the back and put them out. A man and woman came up and one said, B次元官网网址業 can buy two and you can buy two.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淚 said that we have a lot of old age pensioners here, and asked if they could limit themselves to one each and they were absolutely fine.
B次元官网网址淧leasantness is a good way to get through these things.B次元官网网址�
Things may begin to change as of Thursday (March 26), following new rules set in place by the province. Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth announced there would be limits set on how many of certain items you can buy, as well as fines of $25,000 B次元官网网址� and possible jail time B次元官网网址� for resellers of medical and sanitizing supplies, personal protective equipment and food.
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Ashcroft Safety Mart has also seen an influx of people from outside the area, with the store manager noting heB次元官网网址檚 had people from Merritt, Lillooet, 100 Mile, and many from Kamloops.
B次元官网网址淭heyB次元官网网址檙e mostly here because the stores in their communities have empty shelves. TheyB次元官网网址檙e looking for hand wipes, toilet paper, sanitizers, canned goods, potatoes, flour, sugar and bread.B次元官网网址�
Traffic at the store is about twice as busy as usual, but shipments are not coming in as quickly as they normally would.
B次元官网网址淭hatB次元官网网址檚 understandable. All the suppliers and manufacturers have been caught off guard. A lot of our suppliers have seen their orders go up substantially and theyB次元官网网址檙e behind the eight ball.
B次元官网网址淭hey werenB次元官网网址檛 prepared either. ItB次元官网网址檚 not like a regular holiday like Christmas or Easter, where we start planning two months before for staffing and supplies. It should be no problem getting things, it will just take a little while to get everyone back on line.B次元官网网址�
At Clinton Budget Foods, about half-an-hour north of Ashcroft, new owner Nav Singh has seen people coming from out of town, as well as highway travellers driving between Kamloops or Vancouver and Prince George.
B次元官网网址淭he big cities are out of groceries so theyB次元官网网址檙e stopping here to do a general shop.B次元官网网址�
The store has put a limit on toilet paper to make it more convenient for local seniors, but Singh says that otherwise people are finding everything they need. B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e good on stock.B次元官网网址�
The AG Foods grocery stores in Scotch Creek and Chase, east of Kamloops, are also seeing an influx of people from larger centres.
B次元官网网址淪ome people are telling us theyB次元官网网址檙e from out of town,B次元官网网址� says an employee at the Scotch Creek store. B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檝e noticed some new faces. Someone put it on Facebook that we have stock, and people are buying quite the buggy full.B次元官网网址�
At Freshmart in Lumby, 25 minutes east of Vernon, head cashier Jo-Ann Parr says that they have been coping with orders coming in only half-filled and up to two days late. Staff are working as fast as possible to restock the meat cooler, and toilet paper is flying off the shelves.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 going out as fast as itB次元官网网址檚 coming in.B次元官网网址�
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An issue the store is facing is people from out of town coming to stock up.
B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e getting people from Vernon and Kelowna coming out here,B次元官网网址� says Parr, who doesnB次元官网网址檛 think itB次元官网网址檚 fair that some Lumby citizens are going without because out-of-towners are stocking up.
B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e trying to help our community,B次元官网网址� she says. B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 a lot of seniors here and families who have to wait until child tax comes in.B次元官网网址�
Grocery stores in Cherryville, east of Lumby, report that they have not been immune to the toilet paper craze, but Lori Petersen B次元官网网址� a cashier at the Cherryville Emporium B次元官网网址� says for now staff havenB次元官网网址檛 noticed a big difference. FrankB次元官网网址檚 General Store was sold out of toilet paper, Lysol wipes, and hand sanitizer, but other than that things have been normal, according to owner Lisa Schwartz.
In Enderby, between Salmon Arm and Vernon, the IGA and Red Basket grocery stores have experienced shortages.
B次元官网网址淭he products are coming in, but theyB次元官网网址檙e just going out faster than they come in,B次元官网网址� Red Basket general manager Seng Phung says, adding that people donB次元官网网址檛 need to panic.
B次元官网网址淚t just takes time to stock and it takes time to order.B次元官网网址�
IGA assistant manager Matt Briard says the store is seeing shortages of a variety of items, including toilet paper, paper towels, Kleenex, hand sanitizer, Clorox wipes, bleach, tomatoes, beans, and more.
He notes that around 60 items were either vendor-shorted or out of stock in a recent order.
B次元官网网址淲e had half our order pretty well shorted.B次元官网网址�
In McBride, more than two hours east of Prince George, the manager of McBride AG Foods says he hasnB次元官网网址檛 noticed many people coming from the city, although some people who are heading to Prince George are stopping in.
However, he added that while local customers are buying a little bit more B次元官网网址� which he says is understandable B次元官网网址� theyB次元官网网址檙e not overstocking and thereB次元官网网址檚 no panic. Others who were interviewed for this article say that local customers have been overwhelmingly calm, good-natured, and understanding during a stressful time.
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With files from the Vernon Morning Star.
editorial@accjournal.ca
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