Coronavirus Making Shopping Hard For Seniors So Stores Changing Hours To Accommodate Them
MIAMI (CBSMiami) – South Florida supermarkets are seeing items fly of the shelves, which is why some will be opening first for the most vulnerable during the coronavirus outbreak.
Seniors will be getting an hour of VIP shopping when stores open just for them.
After, the general public is allowed to buy food, medicine and cleaning supplies.
Those are popular items that keep flying off store shelves – and seniors have noticed.
"No lunch meat," one man in Miami Beach said.
Water continues to be a hot item, but that's not all.
"I went to Publix today and noticed a lot of things not there," he said. "I've noticed Walgreens out of toilet paper for the last week."
Starting Thursday, Sedano's Supermarket will open at 7 a.m. for seniors and the most vulnerable. The general public can shop starting at 8 a.m.
Whole Foods Markets are opening an hour early for seniors. Its posted hours say 9 a.m. – that means seniors can shop at 8 a.m.
At Fresh Market, seniors as well as people with diabetes and heart disease, can start shopping at 8 a.m. on weekdays.
Dollar General is reserving its first hour for seniors.
Target stores are reserving the first hour of opening each Wednesday for seniors.
As for the general public, a Broward commissioner has some advice.
"People that are going and that are hoarding product are actually doing more harm than good right now. There are no issues, as far as supply coming in. People need to use common sense as they move forward," Broward Commissioner Michael Udine said.
CEOs are also asking people to be patient, be nice to workers, and try your best to keep your distance.
The county leader also recommends using an app to order products at the store you're planning on driving to in an effort to make it easier.
There's no known lack in supply of food. It's just items are flying off store faster than some shipments arrive.
The National Retail Federation is monitoring products made in factories that have been closed overseas like clothing and technology.
Down the road, we may be seeing delays in those new products.
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