I had a long informative conversation with the manager of my local Albertsons [View all]

[lunatica]

I order through Instacart which keeps the customers’ shopping lists and allows them to simply reorder their last order. Albertsons keeps up to date on what items are out of stock constantly so people like me, with limited mobility can see what’s available from my shopping list as well as in general. The manager assured me all the information is up to date.

Regarding the 95% of items on my list being out of stock the explanation he gave me, which makes sense is

They get three trucks delivering food every day and will continue to. So every day they are completely stocked. The truck delivery companies and the grocery food manufacturers are working to increase the deliveries if necessary.

The reason the items go out of stock is because hundreds of people are waiting outside to go into the stores. This is the part that is different from normal times. He said that although during the day customers aren’t hoarding there are a lot who come in early and clean out some of the shelves. He and I agreed that as time goes by these panic buyers will fall off when they realize there isn’t a shortage of food, that the problem is the virus, not food availability.

And finally, I asked him about the health of himself and his staff. Did he feel their precautions are protecting them? He described that they were in a constant deep cleaning mode, that all employees were using gloves and wiping their stations down constantly. The checkout stands are wiped down before and after each customer.

I came away feeling assured. We will eventually, and I count this as a few weeks if even that long, settle into a new normal where the panic hoarders will have stocked up and realize the food situation isn’t dire.