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.

害羞草研究所淎bsolutely, people are coming from somewhere else,害羞草研究所� says an employee at I.D.A. Pharmacy in Ashcroft. The town of 1,600 people is located an hour害羞草研究所檚 drive from Kamloops, and about an hour and a half from Merritt and Lillooet.

害羞草研究所淭wo women from Merritt who have relatives here phoned them and asked if we had toilet paper in Ashcroft. They were told 害羞草研究所榶es害羞草研究所�, so they came with about 20 of their friends in several vehicles and loaded up on stuff.害羞草研究所�

She says that the 害羞草研究所渂ig six害羞草研究所� 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.

害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檝e had people come up to me in the toilet paper aisle several times, telling me they害羞草研究所檙e from Merritt and Lillooet and they害羞草研究所檙e out of toilet paper there.害羞草研究所�

She says that most people have been understanding.

害羞草研究所淲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, 害羞草研究所業 can buy two and you can buy two.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淚 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.

害羞草研究所淧leasantness is a good way to get through these things.害羞草研究所�

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 害羞草研究所� and possible jail time 害羞草研究所� for resellers of medical and sanitizing supplies, personal protective equipment and food.

READ MORE:

Ashcroft Safety Mart has also seen an influx of people from outside the area, with the store manager noting he害羞草研究所檚 had people from Merritt, Lillooet, 100 Mile, and many from Kamloops.

害羞草研究所淭hey害羞草研究所檙e mostly here because the stores in their communities have empty shelves. They害羞草研究所檙e looking for hand wipes, toilet paper, sanitizers, canned goods, potatoes, flour, sugar and bread.害羞草研究所�

Traffic at the store is about twice as busy as usual, but shipments are not coming in as quickly as they normally would.

害羞草研究所淭hat害羞草研究所檚 understandable. All the suppliers and manufacturers have been caught off guard. A lot of our suppliers have seen their orders go up substantially and they害羞草研究所檙e behind the eight ball.

害羞草研究所淭hey weren害羞草研究所檛 prepared either. It害羞草研究所檚 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.害羞草研究所�

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.

害羞草研究所淭he big cities are out of groceries so they害羞草研究所檙e stopping here to do a general shop.害羞草研究所�

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. 害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檙e good on stock.害羞草研究所�

The AG Foods grocery stores in Scotch Creek and Chase, east of Kamloops, are also seeing an influx of people from larger centres.

害羞草研究所淪ome people are telling us they害羞草研究所檙e from out of town,害羞草研究所� says an employee at the Scotch Creek store. 害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檝e noticed some new faces. Someone put it on Facebook that we have stock, and people are buying quite the buggy full.害羞草研究所�

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.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 going out as fast as it害羞草研究所檚 coming in.害羞草研究所�

COVID-19:

An issue the store is facing is people from out of town coming to stock up.

害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檙e getting people from Vernon and Kelowna coming out here,害羞草研究所� says Parr, who doesn害羞草研究所檛 think it害羞草研究所檚 fair that some Lumby citizens are going without because out-of-towners are stocking up.

害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檙e trying to help our community,害羞草研究所� she says. 害羞草研究所淭here害羞草研究所檚 a lot of seniors here and families who have to wait until child tax comes in.害羞草研究所�

Grocery stores in Cherryville, east of Lumby, report that they have not been immune to the toilet paper craze, but Lori Petersen 害羞草研究所� a cashier at the Cherryville Emporium 害羞草研究所� says for now staff haven害羞草研究所檛 noticed a big difference. Frank害羞草研究所檚 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.

害羞草研究所淭he products are coming in, but they害羞草研究所檙e just going out faster than they come in,害羞草研究所� Red Basket general manager Seng Phung says, adding that people don害羞草研究所檛 need to panic.

害羞草研究所淚t just takes time to stock and it takes time to order.害羞草研究所�

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.

害羞草研究所淲e had half our order pretty well shorted.害羞草研究所�

In McBride, more than two hours east of Prince George, the manager of McBride AG Foods says he hasn害羞草研究所檛 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 害羞草研究所� which he says is understandable 害羞草研究所� they害羞草研究所檙e not overstocking and there害羞草研究所檚 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.

READ MORE:

With files from the Vernon Morning Star.

editorial@accjournal.ca
Like us on and follow us on