Is There Any Food In The Stores

[NJ Rich]

I was wondering about stores without food to sell. Since I read here that Lowe's was out of many emergency items I was wondering what the food store shelves looked like near your home. I would think there is a shortage in those areas hit hard by the ice storm. Maybe some of you can post reports about the stores in your area.

I can think of "no better wake-up call" for those who poo poo the whole practice of preparing for emergencies and disasters.

I sent my family and friends the news about former VP Cheney's statements today about impending attacks on the USA. I know we are all ahead of him with those thoughts.

You may add any information you think is important besides food supply reports. Thanks, NJ Rich

[hintonlady]

My local stores look fine, of course our snow wasn't all that unusual.

I would be interested in a link to the Cheney thing you mentioned. Just for personal info. not trying to call you out for a debate.

[stanb999]

Haven't been to a food store in almost a month. Looked fine then.

The feed store is still well stocked, I went their this week.

[NJ Rich]

Hello hintonlady,

Go to POLITICO on the web. I just checked it and it is still there. Politico covers capital hill news and more. I first saw it on my computers YAHOO news which I check several times a day. Best to ya, NJ Rich

[ovsfarm]

(Remember, I'm only in southern Ohio, not Kentucky, so we didn't get hit as hard..)

The quick fix foods requiring no heating were very picked over--bread, peanut butter, tuna in the little peel-top individual serving cans and plastic bag things, chips, crackers, etc. But there were even still a few of those things, although only the ones with a dent or a torn label. Other foods appeared to be present in the normal supply amounts. The supply of bottled water was down a good bit. Only a few of the larger 2.5 gal jugs left, none of the smaller, more manageable sizes. But by Tuesday (a week after we got the main part of the storm), it seemed that they were getting the snack/quick fix shelves restocked.

But here's the big issue: if a store loses power and cannot keep their coolers and freezers at a certain temperature, they have to close them and destroy all the contents. The local Walmart lost power and then a little later roped off all their cold and frozen food sections with that yellow caution tape. All the customers made their way to the front to check out by the glow of emergency lighting. The cashier told my dm, who was there at the time, that their cash registers wouldn't scan those cold/frozen items after that point and that they were not even allowed to give it away. I guess they had a small generator with enough juice to run the cash registers for a while just to clear the people from the store but that was it. The amount of food wasted really made me ill.

Along the same line, my sil who works for the public school system, told me that they have a similar policy and if the school cafeteria loses power for a certain amount of time, or goes up to a certain temperature, they also have to discard all of it. In the case of our Ohio Hurricane last fall, her school had their power restored and was ready to reopen but couldn't hold classes yet because they were waiting on food to be delivered to be able to serve lunches. I assume the situation might be similar with any of the government facilities that serve food, and maybe even all the private ones that are under the jurisdiction of state and local health departments. So just because the power comes back on does not guarantee business as usual.

Interesting "food" for thought.

[texican]

One of our grocery stores in town is slacking a bit... went in today and they were out of several items I needed. They had some substitutes (which would sure beat no items at all) but they were 25% higher...

Course, there's no situation hereabouts, so the shelves are > %95 full....

[Ernie]

I picked up a saw in a Lowe'se a couple of weeks ago. They had more survival/emergency gear out than I've ever seen before. Everything from battery powered lanterns to jumper cables were on special display.

If you think you're worried about the economy, imagine how the merchant with an entire store full of inventory that won't move, employees to pay, and a landlord breathing down his neck feels. If they even think for a moment than the American consumer's zeitgeist is turning towards prep items then you're going to see more stuff in the stores than you've ever seen before.

[pickapeppa]

Our local wm has had revolving shortages of items since last spring. It seems every time I go there, there is at least one item on my list I cannot get, but it's never the same thing.

Frozen green beans were out for a long time around the holidays. Green bean casserole anyone? Lol.

[Callieslamb]

I noticed that our WM started shelving less food about a year ago. There is plenty there, but not as many cans of the same items are piled in there as there used to be. I wonder if it isn't just the cash flow issue. Long ago, groceries had stuff piled in "the back". Then they decided it was wasted money to store the food and went to the system we had most of my life. But I wonder if they haven't switched again - less on the shelves is less investment for WM to buy waiting for the financial return as customers purchase the items.

It all boils down to: in an emergency there will be less available for those that run to the store at the last minute.

[pickapeppa]

Originally Posted by Callieslamb

I noticed that our WM started shelving less food about a year ago. There is plenty there, but not as many cans of the same items are piled in there as there used to be. I wonder if it isn't just the cash flow issue. Long ago, groceries had stuff piled in "the back". Then they decided it was wasted money to store the food and went to the system we had most of my life. But I wonder if they haven't switched again - less on the shelves is less investment for WM to buy waiting for the financial return as customers purchase the items.

It all boils down to: in an emergency there will be less available for those that run to the store at the last minute.

I agree with this. We're already seeing supply issues, people are buying less which only causes them to reduce their supplies more. It's a dangerous combination, and the main reason why I'm keeping extra essentials and goodies on hand at all times.

[Wisconsin Ann]

I've been thinking about this, and seems to me we're heading back to where my parents and grandparents were. (and probably yours).

You don't just run out to the store to buy ONE thing when you run out of it. You actually plan. My mother always had backups in the pantry. always. She replaced what she used from the pantry/stores when it got down to just 1. 3 bottles of ketchup. 4 cans of tomatoes. 4 cans of beans...etc. (generally it was by the caseful, not the can, but you get the idea)

I really believe that the stores have gotten used to having "a few" of everything on their shelves just because of the "I'm out of mayo, honey..go get a jar" thinking. Also...used to be just a few types of say, salad dressing..Have you counted the number of brands of salad dressings these days? good god..... We had a bottle of oil, vinegar and a packet of dry seasonings to add to it.

Around here, the WalMarts were going through a time of empty shelves for various items....then those would fill up and another item would go missing. Now, they seem to have figured it out. Fewer choices as to brand, but always stocked.

I'd really hate to own a grocery store these days. Or be a buyer for one.

[ladycat]

Originally Posted by pickapeppa

We're already seeing supply issues, people are buying less which only causes them to reduce their supplies more. It's a dangerous combination,

And on that note...

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29001725/

[firegirl969]

Our WM and Freds have empty shelves. Don't know what's up with that. Mainly the food section. I bought 20 boxes of regular canning lids at Freds last weekend for $1 each. They were a ones left on the shelf from last year. Everywhere else I have seen them going up to $1.19. I will buy the rest if they are still there this weekend.

[ladycat]

I haven't noticed any empty shelves around here. Except those resulting from a good sale (but it's always been that way- good sale price on an item makes that shelf section look like a tornado hit it).

[lettermom]

Our Walmart has been having shortages on dog and cat food especially the brands like ol roy, the sign says because their suppliers are having trouble but i have no idea why the problem o if its related to the economy. its been that way a few months..

[Ernie]

Because many of what we consider products are actually byproducts (like most dogfoods), they are going to be the canaries in the coal mine in terms of shortages. For whatever reason, items from which these byproducts are made are being scaled back in production.

Take wood pellets for example. Those are used by many stoves. Wood pellet shortages have been occurring for awhile and the nearby Tractor Supply has been out of them for almost a year now. Wood pellets are a byproduct of cut lumber used in the construction industry. The construction industry has slowed down due to a shortage of new homes being built.

[Pink_Carnation]

I haven't noticed a problem around here. I don't go to WM since it isn't convient but all the other stores seem to have more of a problem with to much stuff cramming the isles. I hate it when they make it hard to get through with a cart.

[Cyngbaeld]

HEB was very well stocked today. Dollar General was busier than I've ever seen it, but also well stocked. Did notice there were no more large, dense packs of toilet paper at DG. All were small rolls and the ones that said "double rolls" had as much as the small ones used to have.

[Murron]

You know, I was thinking this same thought as I've been shopping this past month....

Since the ice storm in December - between the physical losses (no freezer/refrigeration for several days) and the holidays, it seems that grocers in our area *still* haven't recovered. There are lots of gaps in stock, although the prices have stayed even.

I have noticed that the Agway (Peterboro, NH) we frequent certainly has beefed up it's "emergency" supply stock. Perhaps a reaction to the storm, but reassuring nonetheless. DH and I were there the other day, and they had generators, oil lamps, propane stoves, etc., and way more canning supplies than I've seen in a long time. Sweet!

The one place (and I'm only there once a month, maybe) I've noticed that seems to be filled to the gills is BJ's. Flour, rice, TP, coffee... Full. No shortages, no "limit" signs. Perhaps it's because of their corporate size? I dunno.