Retailers have committed to control panic buying

With consumers panic-buying amid fears over coronavirus (COVID-19), the Consumer Goods Council of South Africa (CGCSA) on Wednesday said retailers and brand owners committed to taking measures to control stockpiling.

South African retailers and manufacturers were taking steps to ensure the supply chain was not compromised amid concerns over the virus.

Some supermarkets had already put limits on certain products after their shelves were left empty. Some stores introduced a designated time for pensioners to shop while others announced special deliveries for the elderly.

Fears over the spread of COVID-19 resulted in a spike in sales of certain essential products that ran out of stock in many stores.

“We are now on a store-by-store basis looking at putting quantity limitations on these products,” said the CGCSA’s Patricia Pillay.

Pillay said they had received full commitment from retailers and brand owners that there was sufficient stock and that they could meet demand.

“They are monitoring on a daily/hourly basis their stock,” she said.

Retailers such as Pick n Pay Stores introduced a designated hour every Wednesday for the elderly to shop as they are more vulnerable to COVID-19.