‘Stocking up’ cleans out some Whatcom shelves as shoppers told to ‘buy just what you need’
“Social distancing interventions like school and event closures do not apply to grocery stores,” according to the Washington State Health Department’s Public Health Connection blog. The Sunday, March 15, post discussed stocking up on provisions.
The post, headlined “Leave some for your neighbor. Help others by buying just what you need,” noted that the “State Emergency Operations Center is committed to keeping grocery stores stocked and open during this response to COVID-19.”
Shortages of product in stores is not because of a disruption to the supply chain, the blog stated. When people buy more than they need, shortages make it hard for others to find products when they need them.
“Maintain a reasonable emergency stash, but otherwise, reduce waste and help your neighbors by buying just what you need,” the blog said.
It went on to say “You can increase your social distancing while grocery shopping by using a grocery delivery or pick up service. And you can increase social connection by offering to pick up a bag of groceries for a friend or neighbor who needs to isolate themselves.”
▪ Whatcom County stores have tried a variety of different strategies to prevent the spread of the virus. At the Bellingham Costco over the weekend, small groups were let into the warehouse to control in-store traffic and the greeter was letting people know what was not in stock. At times signs were posted to let members what was out of stock.
Limits have also been put in place for certain items, Costco President and CEO Craig Jelinek said in an email to members.
“Our buyers and suppliers are working to ensure in-demand merchandise as well as everyday favorites are available in our warehouses,” Jelinek said in the email.
▪ During the past few days the Community Food Co-op has been the busiest in the store’s history, according to General Manager Adrienne Renz.
To meet the increased demand and prevent the spread of the coronavirus, the Co-op is making some changes. They are temporarily reducing store hours to 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. to give workers more time to clean and restock.
The two stores had previously shut down the hot and salad bars, focusing instead on grab-and-go items. Those employees have been shifted to other departments to help with demand.
The Co-op has seen similar shortages of hand sanitizers and toilet paper, but Renz believes that will be alleviated soon. Distributors are adjusting to create a more even process, she said.
Renz is also asking customers to not bring in reusable bags for the time being. The two stores are supplied with paper bags for customers to use.
As this outbreak continues to unfold, Renz said it is showing how crucial the food system workers like farmers, grocers and delivery people are to getting through these events.
“I am amazed at the commitment, care for each other and determination that we are seeing in our teams as this situation unfolds,” Renz said. “Many have kids and family at home but continue to come in for long days faced with large numbers of people.”
▪ Haggen also sent out an email to customers, asking them to respect the limits of in-demand products. The company also noted that it is adjusting its hours and is open 5 a.m. to midnight. It also announced that it is hiring workers at all locations to keep up with demand.
▪ Whole Foods announced on its website several steps it has taken to address the outbreak. U.S. and Canadian employees are getting a $2-an-hour raise through the end of April.
As for the stores, Whole Foods is closing its hot bars, salad bars, soup bars and self-serve pizza. Indoor and outdoor cafe seating will be temporarily unavailable and the restaurant section will only offer takeout.
This story was originally published March 16, 2020 at 9:44 AM with the headline "‘Stocking up’ cleans out some Whatcom shelves as shoppers told to ‘buy just what you need’."
