Back-up systems keep Pak'nSave humming

Sold out signs popped up at Mitre 10 as shoppers rushed to stock up on camping equipment supplies, such as torches and batteries.

While "closed" signs dotted the doors of other Napier businesses on Saturday morning, the local Pak'nSave was doing a roaring trade.

It was one of the few stores which managed to remain open for business after power cuts affected the region, thanks to back-up power systems.

With rain, wind and cold temperatures, supermarket managers said many customers had been stocking up on food over the weekend.

Some had been selling a lot of general "winter items", and others said cough and cold remedies had been very popular.

Customers for other supermarkets, such as Wairoa New World, had to wait until power was restored to stock up.

Supermarkets were not the only stores benefiting from the wild weather.

Mitre 10 Mega general manager for Napier and Hastings Rodger van der Gulik said a lot of customers had been purchasing camping equipment as well as kindling, firewood, and heaters.

A few camping equipment supplies, such as certain torches and batteries, had sold out, and kindling had "gone like mad".

Mr van der Gulik said there had been a good number of customers to both stores - they had systems in place, such as emergency power generators, so they could keep operating while supermarkets and the Warehouse could not.