A recent survey found 52% of Americans plan to stockpile groceries and other household products this fall to prepare for a possible recurrence of the pandemic. The poll was conducted by the Sports and Leisure Research Group and revealed most Americans are stockpiling because they fear infection rates will soar, while some are worried about the upcoming election spurring unrest across the country.
According to USA Today, we will not see the shortages experienced last spring when stores were stripped of essential items such as toilet paper. Grocery stores are already anticipating the growth in sales and are preparing to meet the demand. Instacart, the online delivery company, already reports a 4% increase in searches of toilet paper in the past month.
According to CNN Business, household products like paper towels and disinfectant wipes were scarce during the pandemic, so retailers are making sure there will be no shortages if a second wave of COVID-19 pummels the nation. They are already stocking their shelves with holiday items such as turkeys and hams, along with cold and flu remedies and herbal teas.
Another reason food sales are soaring is more people are working from home, so there is more demand for ingredients to prepare home-cooked meals, said Anne-Marie Roerink, of 210 Analytics, a business that tracks grocery sales.
"All of us now have beans in the pantry and some meals ready to make," she said, according to USA Today. "We have learned to buy online and replenish all the time."