topic Re: Glaring inconsistencies in Community Chat

Glaring inconsistencies

Mominohio — Mon, 04 May 2020 04:50:49 GMT

We headed out early Sunday morning to make a grocery store run, mostly for some fresh produce. We hit our most often chosen grocery, Meijer. They were pretty well stocked in most things, and had plenty of meats of all kinds, although for the first time, they had a limit of two kinds of each type of meat. There was lots of beef of all kinds, as well as all other styles and cuts of other meats.

We then went to Sam's Club, as my mom was wanting some things from there and hasn't been out to a store since early March. I had let my Sam's membership expire late last year (for a host of reasons I won't go into here) and decided since I couldn't shop with my mom on hers during this time, I'd just renew my own. So I hadn't see what was going on in Sam's since November.

There was essentially no beef in the store, except for about 20 roasts in the case. I rung the bell for the meat room and asked the guy that answered it, about the empty cases. He said they are getting virtually no beef, maybe one box a day. There was some chicken, and all the processed meats like lunch meats, bacon, sausages etc.

These two stores are less than a mile down the road from each other. Yes, I know that they have different supply chains, different warehouses etc. But it makes little sense that one store will have an abundance of something, and another within sight, will have nothing.

Our local Dollar General has been getting shipments of toilet paper and paper towels each week throughout this event, and while they limit to one per customer, and they often have only lasted two or three days, there has always been more each week. Other stores here have seen totally empty shelves in those same product lines since this thing started.

And the ever elusive disinfecting wipes have been found in the most obscure places. One town we went to a week or two ago, had wipes in three different stores we stopped at (although no place had more than just a few), yet other stores in our main shopping town have had zero.

It has been reassuring to see once virtually empty stores fill back up with most things but perplexing that one trip finds almost complete normalcy, while the next trip to the same store a week or two later, finds many gaps in so many areas.

I know I've never seen anything like this in my lifetime. The usual empty milk, bread and water aisles during a storm warning, but never anything like this.

I certainly won't take a fully stocked grocery store for granted again in my lifetime.

Re: Glaring inconsistencies

shaggygirl — Mon, 04 May 2020 11:28:25 GMT

Toilet paper at Stop & Shop this morning for the first time in quite a while. I was there about 6:30am. Bet it's gone by noon. Only 12 packs of Angel Soft brand but it's a start.

Re: Glaring inconsistencies

jellyBEAN — Mon, 04 May 2020 11:37:55 GMT

It is interesting isn't it? I am STILL on the hunt for toilet paper. Since I wanted some things at Lowes I figured I'd try there as they'd always had a good selection of paper goods and cleaners before. The entire side of the aisle where the paper goods used to be is now occupied by something completely different (that I didn't need). Nothing.

Most people go to their neighbors house to borrow a cup of sugar or an extra stick of butter or something. Me? Uhh, do you have an extra roll of toilet paper I could borrow?

Re: Glaring inconsistencies

AuntG — Mon, 04 May 2020 11:43:51 GMT

Although I didn't look for any disinfectants since this began, those are probably the only sellouts we've had. Meat and paper products were low at a few points but never sold out. We try to shop about once in ten days and are in and out in under a half hour.

Re: Glaring inconsistencies

Gorgf — Mon, 04 May 2020 11:49:45 GMT

I have yet to see a gallon of bleach or wipes. I don't need one as use very little of it but look out of interest.Walgreens again features toilet paper in their ad ad why, bare shelves?I did not bother to go in as a waste of time.Wal-Mart here has slowly getting back paper products. I went in Sunday to the local market. Bacon and prepackaged greens going fast. Someone that works in the store said the personal shoppers are using up the stock quickly. There were eight filling large orders am sure. They cut their own meat so more beef available.

Re: Glaring inconsistencies

FranandZoe — Mon, 04 May 2020 14:44:05 GMT

I've been ordering a lot online - Clorox Cleanup and Pine Sol from Staples even their TP (free shipping); my usual TP and Purel wipes and Wet Ones Wipes from eBay; dishwasher detergent from Amazon. I refuse going to multiple stores. If I find stuff in my usual grocery store I buy it but not going searching. My dil works for a doctors group and she had provided us with with gel hand sanitizer.

Re: Glaring inconsistencies

Spurt — Mon, 04 May 2020 14:21:14 GMT

TP seems to be returning to the shelves here, but forget any cleaning products--clorax, clorax wipes, lysol are NOWHERE....even toilet bowl cleaner cant be found!!!!!! A friend told me about a little known hidden convenience store that might fulfill my needs that I might check out....

Re: Glaring inconsistencies

scatcat — Mon, 04 May 2020 14:27:01 GMT

Just got back from Target. Wipes, toilet paper, paper towels, toilet bowl cleaner, ground beef and chicken all there.

Maybe I just got lucky, maybe it's location. I don't buy more than I need

Re: Glaring inconsistencies

stuyvesant — Mon, 04 May 2020 15:03:12 GMT

I've wondered about this myself. But I think it's just, to use a catch phrase, "the supply chain." I'm in the poster city for covid in America (and may we keep that title and nobody else get it) and you'd think we'd have things like hand sanitizer and purell wipes.

We now have hand sanitizer, in some stores not all of them, but it's a generic type. So that indicates somebody is aware and is making an effort.

To be honest, I had a vague feeling that Manhattan stores were always wall to wall people but that's not really true. It's rare to have more than two or three people ahead of me on line, and most times there's nobody. But I shop first thing in the AM, one of the tedious routines I've developed in covid time.

People here describe getting to the store before it opens and there's a huge line waiting. Now that I think about it, we have that at Trader Joes. The store opens at 9 for regular people, and there are people lined up for that opening when I waltz in at 8:15 for senior/immune challenged hour.

Re: Glaring inconsistencies

shaggygirl — Mon, 04 May 2020 15:08:08 GMT

@Spurt wrote:
TP seems to be returning to the shelves here, but forget any cleaning products--clorax, clorax wipes, lysol are NOWHERE....even toilet bowl cleaner cant be found!!!!!! A friend told me about a little known hidden convenience store that might fulfill my needs that I might check out....

@Spurt

Same for me this morning w/the toilet bowl cleaner. Found some but had to get Nature's Promise which is all they had and it's a store brand. Coconut Scent so at least the toilets should smell nice....till the first flush anyway.

Re: Glaring inconsistencies

stevieb — Mon, 04 May 2020 15:14:55 GMT

Agree with you @Mominohio. I contnue trying to use Peapod (Giant) but there are so many holes in product availabilty and yet others stores seem to have some of those missing items, many of which appear to have been missing now for months, but to lack in other areas... I know stores have to have restocked at some point, but one assumes they sell things out as soon as they get them... Regardless of the 'why' this is getting old... If things are improving for some folks I'm glad to hear it... GIves me hope that maybe at some point it will here, but it hasn't yet...

Re: Glaring inconsistencies

stevieb — Mon, 04 May 2020 15:17:33 GMT

@scatcat wrote:
Just got back from Target. Wipes, toilet paper, paper towels, toilet bowl cleaner, ground beef and chicken all there.

Maybe I just got lucky, maybe it's location. I don't buy more than I need

Which just points out the regional nature of this availability fiasco, as my local Target has meager pickings and frankly, I don't think they ever sold much ground beef or chicken... Lack of cleaning products and paper products seems to be a real long term problem around here and even when they have them, it appears you can't order some things for delivery...

Re: Glaring inconsistencies

SuhseK — Mon, 04 May 2020 15:19:45 GMT

@jellyBEAN wrote:
It is interesting isn't it? I am STILL on the hunt for toilet paper. Since I wanted some things at Lowes I figured I'd try there as they'd always had a good selection of paper goods and cleaners before. The entire side of the aisle where the paper goods used to be is now occupied by something completely different (that I didn't need). Nothing.

Most people go to their neighbors house to borrow a cup of sugar or an extra stick of butter or something. Me? Uhh, do you have an extra roll of toilet paper I could borrow?

------

My Sister lives in Vancouver, WA/metro Portland, OR area. Yesterday, she went to the Costco,there, that she goes to. She said they were overflowing with TP. It was stacked, in several aisles, and there was no rush on it!

Very different than even a week ago, when it was gone as soon as it came in.

Re: Glaring inconsistencies

CrazyDaisy — Mon, 04 May 2020 15:28:42 GMT

Much of it is hit and miss. With some items whatever the stores get in are purchased right away. I have heard many conversations that basically were "we really don't need any but better pick up some up since they have some here now". It is being in the right place at the right time.

Also many places are just not putting some items on websites for online shopping. They know they will be gone quickly.

Re: Glaring inconsistencies

Spurt — Mon, 04 May 2020 16:22:53 GMT

@stevieb wrote:
@scatcat wrote:
Just got back from Target. Wipes, toilet paper, paper towels, toilet bowl cleaner, ground beef and chicken all there.

Maybe I just got lucky, maybe it's location. I don't buy more than I need
Which just points out the regional nature of this availability fiasco, as my local Target has meager pickings and frankly, I don't think they ever sold much ground beef or chicken...

@stevieb

--This is pre-pandemic of course.....One of the reasons I never did my weekly grocery shopping at Super Target was although they carry lots of national brands their meat and produce selection left much to be desired....Same with WM's produce....

I wonder if the areas of the country that have been divided into "the haves" and "the have nots" depends on what distribution companies the grocery store chains use and the action and the early efforts the store Execs took in assuring adequate supplies would be delivered.....some started way back in Janaury when they saw that concerns about the virus spreading to the U.S. was a possibility when travel restrictions went into effect.......Our grocery store chain, HEB, CEO was quoted--“For the long term, H-E-B is in a good in-stock position on many of the items our customers need, and we are working around the clock to restock our shelves,”

Yes, people are eating more at home, but supplies normally sent to school cafeterias, and restaurants are now being diverted to local stores, there's also adquate meat supply in cold storage......why are some store shelves still empty...Articles Ive read from numerous sources blame it on all the various state and local government safety requirements for workers from truckers to cashiers at grocery stores to shoppers. Also, travel restrictions at state borders are also are clogging up road networks and making it difficult for farm workers and truckers to get food where its needed, then there's the panic buying and hoarding...creating the "perfect storm".

Hopefully, as more and more states slowly open up people will stop panic buying and hoarding...and more stock will become available, but some states are being stubborn on this matter and all this is doing is creating defiance as people say---to heck with quarantining and distancing and they want/need to get back to work and rebel and start to protest in the streets! ...It would be better if they develop a careful staged plan to re-open and monitor and see how it goes...

Re: Glaring inconsistencies

Lipstickdiva — Mon, 04 May 2020 16:08:32 GMT

I was in Giant Eagle yesterday. They had plenty of all meats and no limit on anything. I heard today they are going to limit now in an effort to stop panic buying.

They are pretty much fully stocked with paper products now but again, there is a limit to 1 package of TP and paper towels. I didn't even check the cleaning aisles because I don't need anything.

There was virtually no canned soup, no rice, beans or pasta.

Re: Glaring inconsistencies

stevieb — Tue, 05 May 2020 20:41:05 GMT

@Spurt Ridiculously enough... As you know, I live just outside one of our major cities and yet, as far as I know, we have neither a 'super' Target or a 'super' Walmart... We have a lot of both stores, but many of them were moved into existing vacant retail space and minimally retrofitted and most of those that were built new were built before everyone got into the grocery business , back in the 90's... As a result, they now all have dedicated food sections, but I'd not call any of them, except possibly one Walmart I've yet to go to, an actual 'grocery store'...

That aside, I have no idea what the heck is happening as far as these endless supply chain issues that for some of us have been going on for months and are showing no signs of improvement... As you note, with so many thing closed, the excess food should be more than adequate to keep shelves stocked but is isn't... Perhaps it does have to do with local government, as I have seen little evidence of any high level of competence among my state's 'leadership'... Then too, there's a great divide in this state between the northern region and everything else.. Who the heck knows, but something needs to be done... I've got an order ostensibly coming from Giant later this week, but by the time I navigated past the many, many, 'out of stock' items, I'm still not sure how I'll be putting meals together... And I haven't seen a roll of toilet paper available for shipment since February... People tell me it's out there, but I'll have to take their word for it... Luckily, I had a small stockpile, but it's not going to last forever... This is just nonsense... No wonder we're not getting much respect these days...

Re: Glaring inconsistencies

Spurt — Mon, 04 May 2020 17:00:36 GMT

@stevieb wrote:
@Spurt Ridiculously enough... As you know, I live just outside one of our major cities and yet, as far as I know, we have neither a 'super' Target or a 'super' Walmart... We have a lot of both stores, but many of them were moved into existing vacant retail space and minimally retrofitted and most of those that were built new were built before everyone got into the grocery business , back in the 90's... As a result, they now all have dedicated food sections, but I'd not call any of them, except possibly one Walmart I've yet to go to, an actual 'grocery store'...

That aside, I have no idea what the heck is happening as far as these endless supply chain issues that for some of us have been going on for months and are showing no signs of improvement... As you note, with so many thing closed, the excess food should be more than adequate to keep shelves stocked but is isn't... Perhaps it does have to do with local government, as I have seen little evidence of any high level of competence among my state's 'leadership'... Then too, there's a great divide in this state between the northern region and everything else.. Who the heck knows, but something needs to be done... I've got an order ostensibly coming from Giant later this week, but by the time I navigated past the many, many, 'out of stock' items, I'm still not sure how I'll be putting meals together... And I haven't seen a roll of toilet paper available for shipment since February... People tell me it;s out there, but I'll have to take their word for it... Luckily, I had a small stockpile, but it's not going to last forever... This is just nonsense... No wonder we're not getting much respect these days...

@stevieb

Its strange that you live in close distance to major cities, yet no Super Target or Walmart exist....maybe as far as your major grocery store chains are concerned Super Target/Super Walmart are considered "small potatoes" pardon the pun and not real competition in the grocerty store biz, and Target & Walmart realize it too so they dont move to a location where they can upgrade to a Super store status and are content to carry minimal groceries---they make their sales elsewhere anyway....

Walmart decided to challenge The King of Groceries in Central & South Texas, HEB, and lost the grocery war BADLY.....HEB knows how to undercut the competition and thats what drove away Krogers, Albertsons, and other major chains from our city..... (Target/Walmart, Trader Joes, Sams, Whole Foods arent any real threat--Costco does a booming business, just not enough stores to really challenge HEB)....

So being the only real game in town, HEB has us over a barrel, but whats interesting is the individual HEB stores compete against each other--the better stores are still well stock, while the poorly managed stores are the ones with empty shelves .......Whats funny when I order from Instacart they have 3 stores to chose from in my immediate area, but when shoppers find empty shelves they pass my order on to another store and another shopper, and Ive seen the name my shopper changed 2 or 3 times to the better stocked store...While stock may still not be available for cleaning products, or popular hoarded items, for the most part there's only 2 or 3 items not available from my original order .....

Re: Glaring inconsistencies

songbird — Mon, 04 May 2020 17:49:08 GMT

Very happy Wegmans has their own brand of kitchen towels. They are in Print. In both regular & select a size and they seem to be as good as Bounty used to be! And I usually get them once a week. But only one per person.

Re: Glaring inconsistencies

Kachina624 — Mon, 04 May 2020 17:50:48 GMT

My Walmart Supercenter has been having a choice of 4 or 5 brands of TP available for their pick up service. I assume the store has even more inside. Haven't checked on cleaning products except they did finally get Dawn.