ROCHESTER, NY (WXXI) - With rising COVID 19 infection rates locally and around the country, supermarket chains are keeping a close eye on supplies of certain products.
There may not be the same level of shelf-clearing that we saw back in March and April, when the pandemic was starting to ramp up, but supermarkets, like Wegmans and Tops, continue to limit purchases of certain items.
Both companies have been limiting purchases of disinfectant wipes and certain types of peanut butter. Wegmans says other items that have purchase limits include usual items like toilet paper and paper towels and just recently they added napkins and facial tissues.
A Wegmans spokesperson says the company’s merchandising team has spent the last several months sourcing additional suppliers, bringing in new brands, and working with Wegmans Brand suppliers to build up their holiday and winter reserves.
With many of families planning for a smaller gathering at Thanksgiving due to COVID-19, Walmart notes that they have increased their assortment of smaller turkeys and items like boneless turkey breasts for households that are looking at a smaller guest list this year.
Wegmans Director of Public Relations Deana Percassi said that Wegmans has, “maintained purchase limits on products in key categories where supply continues to be a concern, and will expand the use to purchase limits to additional items, if and when necessary.”
At Wegmans, Current products with purchase limits, include:
Paper towels
Facial tissues
Napkins
Household cleaners (includes bathroom cleaners, all-purpose cleaners, toilet bowl cleaners, and window/glass cleaners)
Disinfecting wipes
Wegmans peanut butter
All disinfectant sprays
Kitchen trash bags
Freezer bags
Food storage bags
Disposable paper plates
Bath tissue
Items containing famotidine
At Tops, a note on the company’s website says that, items where purchases are limited include:
Baby wipes
Disinfectant sprays
Disinfectant wipes
Oatmeal
Pain remedies
Peanut butter
Rubbing alcohol
Sugar