Due to the onset of Covid-19, grocery stores are designated as an essential service; and now the news media and social media are taking notice of the grocery business. At times the news has been negative due to product out-of-stocks, limits on purchase quantities, masks or no-masks, and other operational issues.
Just like every other business, Covid-19 has taken grocers by surprise. Grocery stores are not immune to this reality but have done yeomen’s work in adapting to rapidly changing conditions. If your personal shopping experience the first few of weeks of the crisis seemed chaotic; it probably was just that! This was not due to poor planning on the part of store management, but rather, simply a result of a quickly evolving and changing environment.
Like any business, there is much more going on behind the scenes to bring consumers the finished product, and this is true in every supermarket. In a typical day thousands of pounds of food and dry goods arrive at the back door, and after much manual labor the product is readied for the customer and leaves the front door in your shopping bags. Additionally, during this pandemic, stores have added many procedures and practices to their daily operations in the areas of sanitation and hygiene to keep everyone safe.
When COVID-19 became a reality for all of us, grocery stores were inundated with dramatically increased sales and hoarding. Simultaneously stores were working diligently to acquire and decipher the ever-changing information and government guidelines regarding COVID-19. Grocers do not have the luxury of hindsight, but rather are making decisions on a daily basis regarding systems and procedures to best serve their community, and to keep both customers and staff safe.
Yes, you may encounter some out-of-stocks on store shelves, and you may find limits on some products you want to purchase. Out-of-stocks are the result of a supply chain that simply has not been able to keep up with demand. In many cases, grocers are only receiving 60-70 percent of the product they order, so if product is limited, the grocer is simply trying to stretch the supply to as many families as possible.
As you shop in the weeks ahead there will likely be changes regarding social distancing and traffic flow that are put in place for your protection based on the best practices from the CDC, Health Department, and OSHA. The grocers of Wisconsin are working diligently to meet your needs, and to do it safely. Take comfort in knowing that your local grocery store is devoted to your community, and wants only the best for your community.
We are all under great pressure and stress in this time of uncertainty, and that can result in frustration. Remember, the people working in your local grocery store have the same concerns as you have for your family; but they are working on the front lines in an “essential service.”
The next time you stop by our Iola Sentry supermarket, pull down your facemask for a moment; share a smile and a thank you to someone working in the store.