Grocery aisles have been crowded with shoppers in search of essential products — only to find empty shelves that were once flooded with rice, beans and toilet paper. Customers filled grocery stores and supermarkets on April 4 as concerns about the coronavirus grew.
Silvia Viaggi, a San Antonio resident, said the H-E-B on 281 and 1604 was out of a lot of things.
“No meat, milk, butter, eggs,” she said. “They have signs posted, limiting how much people can buy on each product.”
San Antonio and Bexar County’s “Stay Home, Work Safe” orders have been in effect since March 24, ordering residents to practice social distancing and stay at home, except to make essential trips, such as picking up groceries, medicine or gas.
Conrad Harvey, a San Antonio resident, said people should give it a few weeks for things to go back to normal.
“H-E-B is saying that they got replenishments coming. So we’ll see. I’m not worried about anything at all,” he said. “Every area is different but we’ll get through this.”
According to the US Food and Drug Administration, there are no nationwide shortages of food.
Ronald Catlett, general manager of La Fiesta Supermarkets said sales are up but the supply chains are now limited. He said deliveries are delayed and scheduled trucks are coming in a day late.
“We are limited on getting stuff back on the shelf but the suppliers are working hard, employees are working hard to keep the store stocked and ready for customers,” he said.
Christopher Baber, Hollywood Park resident, said things are dwelling down and that there’s a shortage of everything at Brook Hollow H-E-B.
“I tried to get chicken. Pretty much, the meat was all gone except a few pieces here or there but I think that I got one of the last two toilet paper rolls,” he said.
Catlett said toilet paper has been very limited but they’re restocking as soon as it arrives on site.
“There’s plenty of paper in the warehouses and we just need to get the transportation to our stores, we should be fine,” he said.
He said the local supermarket has made a lot of changes and is complying with the CDC’s guidelines of COVID-19 prevention.
“We’ve gotten our employees gloves around the store, cleaning constantly on a daily basis, trying to keep baskets, shelves clean, anything that we come in contact with. Everybody’s been really receptive and taking it serious,” he said.
Bob Fernandez, Hollywood Park resident, said he noticed that Brook Hollow H-E-B had a very limited supply of water bottles, eggs and toilet paper but that he had no trouble finding what he needed.
“I think it’s an overreaction. I think a lot of people are misinformed,” he said. “I’m taking care of myself, and I wouldn’t be at H-E-B unless I didn’t feel 100 percent healthy.”
