Dannevirke New World owner says groceries arriving in store on regular basis

Dannevirke New World owner Bruce Jenkins says there is no need to panic buy groceries. Photo / Sue Emeny

Dannevirke New World is not about to run out of groceries despite people beginning to stockpile items as they fear the spread of Covid-19.

Owner Bruce Jenkins urges shoppers to be calm and patient as produce is arriving in store on a regular basis.

"Normally when we place an order before 8am it will take 24 hours to get here, but because suppliers are under pressure it is taking 36 hours.

"We have a big order arriving at any time now and have a plan in place so that we are ready to roll out the produce as soon as it gets here."

Jenkins said areas of the supermarket, such as the ends of aisles and in the foyer, have been left clear in readiness to receive the delivery.

A big run on bread earlier in the week saw the shelves depleted but these were being bulked up.

"Bread supplies take 48 hours to get here as supplies are manufactured to order," Jenkins said.

Stockpiling began on Tuesday and Wednesday with staff rushed off their feet coping with the large number of shoppers. Jenkins believed this was sparked by the news that Covid-19 had spread beyond Auckland to Wellington and Queenstown and that coincided with pension and benefit day.

"It was also something of a snowball effect with people saying they had seen others buying up large and felt they should be as well."

While the store had that big hit on Tuesday it fared better than stores in other centres, he said.

"I've been talking to colleagues in other places and they have been hit a lot harder."

He said the message that really needed to get out there was to shop locally.

"People might think about going to Palmerston North to shop but they will probably not find what they want there."

He said by staying in town to shop people would be helping local businesses and be minimising the possibility of spreading the risk of infection.

"We are just asking customers to please understand that we are in the same situation as every other supermarket in the country and we are doing all we can. "

Jenkins said the store is concentrating on bringing in key lines but that could mean customers might not be able to buy their favourite brands.

"We still have plenty of toilet paper and other essential items in store.

"We've had been a big run on items such as pasta, rice, tinned food, cleaning products, soaps, and basically non-perishable items but really it's been no heavier than the Christmas trade."

Jenkins said the store was starting to impose limits on some items.

"That's not because we can't get them, it's to ensure that the stocks stay at a reasonable level."

While New World operates its iShop service Jenkins hopes it will be used by those who really need to, such as people with compromised immunity.

"What I would say is if a person placing an order through this they should let the team know if they are unwell."

He said he was also looking at a plan to have home deliveries.

"The team has been working hard and there are a couple of things that customers could do to help them. One is packing their own groceries, which a lot of people do, and the other is to bring a trolley from outside the store inside. That frees up staff to do other things."

He also asked customers be patient and considerate of the elderly.

"We have some amazing customers and some great feedback and it really inspires the team to keep going, knowing they are really appreciated.

"Some people take their frustrations out on staff and that doesn't help. Other customers can see through that behaviour.

"Our advice is to stay calm. We can and will keep getting the grocery items everybody needs."