Did you go to the grocery store before this winter’s big storm and find the shelves empty? Or are you worried you’ll need staple food during the storm but can’t find it? And how quickly will the store be able to restock it?
Shoppers have been panic-buying this week in anticipation of forecasts that extreme cold and a major winter storm will hit more than half the country from January 23 and continue until January 26, with potential continued impact. News reports and social media posts show empty grocery shelves across the country.
USA TODAY spoke to grocery and food experts to find out how stores are responding to this deluge of demand, how retailers are working to restock shelves with more products, and how long shoppers may have to wait.
Don’t Panic – Buy Your Groceries
First, avoid panic buying, known in the industry as “pantry loading,” said Doug Baker, vice president of industry relations and supply chain at FMI, which represents the food and grocery industry. FMI members include retailers that sell food products and companies that manufacture food products.
That doesn’t help neighbors or other area residents who are also trying to buy needed groceries, Baker said.
But that’s not the case with consumer sentiment, said Neil Saunders, a retail analyst at research and analysis firm GlobalData.
“As we’ve seen with the pandemic, panic breeds more panic buying,” he said.
David Ortega, a food economist and professor at Michigan State University, said it’s important to make sure you have basic staples and foods that can last for several days, but “there’s no need to panic buy or buy more than you need, because that can overwhelm the system and cause supply chain problems.”
Can my store restock empty shelves?
Ortega said many retailers are preparing because the storm has been brewing for several days.
But Ortega said weather and road conditions for trucks transporting groceries to stores will have a big impact on whether retailers can keep shelves stocked.
“In a (storm) system this large, once road conditions start to deteriorate, it’s very difficult for stores to stay ahead of the curve. Even well-prepared retailers can only restock as long as their trucks can drive,” Ortega said. “If deliveries are disrupted in multiple states, some shelves may remain empty until the situation improves.”
Baker said retailers have learned a lot during the pandemic and improved their supply chains.
Baker said grocery stores are trying to keep up with demand. He said retailers began seeing shoppers clearing shelves as early as Monday and Tuesday of this week in preparation for the weekend storm.
Baker said shoppers who can’t or don’t want to leave their homes can also order groceries for delivery online.
How are stores preparing for a surge in demand?
Sanders said most grocery retailers use professional weather forecasts to predict demand and adjust inventory levels accordingly. But forecasts change regularly, so they’re not foolproof, he says.
“The problem arises when there is a huge spike in demand over a short period of time. Most retailers don’t have the capacity to accommodate that in terms of warehouse space, trucks, etc., so they can quickly run out of goods,” he said.
Ortega said retailers also start preparing as soon as a major storm is about to occur. That includes increasing orders for fast-moving essentials, adjusting staffing levels and reallocating inventory away from slower-moving categories, he said.
Sanders said stores can quickly restock within days, but “the problem is that if there’s bad weather, retailers are shut down and restocking becomes more difficult.”
If retailers are restocking their shelves, when is the best time to go to the store?
Retailers can get groceries delivered throughout the day, but Baker said the best times to deliver perishables are early morning and mid-morning. He told me to go after my first coffee to give him time to stock the store.
However, Sanders and Ortega said the situation could be different. Other stores may be restocked overnight, during the night, or early in the morning.
It’s also a good idea to ask store employees when shelves will be restocked, said Kathryn Black, a partner at Kearney, a global management consulting firm who leads food, drug and mass merchandise retail.
What are the most common things people panic buy or should buy?
Baker said milk, eggs, bread, toilet paper and water are among the most common items people buy before a storm.
But many shoppers forget that power outages are a possibility, he said. Baker said shoppers may also want to include items on their grocery list that don’t require electricity, stoves or microwaves to prepare or store, such as canned proteins such as tuna or chicken.
Sanders said non-perishable, high-energy foods such as nuts and chocolate are also commonly purchased.
Ortega added that people also tend to buy items such as ready-to-eat meals, snacks, flashlights, propane, ice melt and salt, and firewood.
Also, remember to have batteries for portable devices and plenty of food for your pets, Baker said.
Black said it’s a good idea for families with babies to have enough diapers, formula and wipes on hand, along with snacks and baking supplies, to keep families busy when it snows and they get bored.
What should I do if the shelves are empty?
When consumers find an empty shelf, they can get creative, Black said. “Check different aisles in the store for the same item or substitutes. For example, check bottled water in the fitness aisle instead of the beverage aisle,” she says.
Or, instead of using bottled water, “get really creative with DIY. Fill your bathtub with water so you can flush the toilet when the water runs out,” says Black.
If bread is out of stock, try crackers or bagels.
Black said consumers who picked up the habit of baking bread during the coronavirus pandemic may want to get back to that habit instead of buying bread.
Betty Lin-Fisher is a consumer reporter for USA TODAY. Contact her at blinfisher@USATODAY.com or follow her at @blinfisher on X, Facebook and Instagram and @blinfisher.bsky.social on Bluesky.. Sign up for our free The Daily Money newsletter, breaking down complex consumer and financial news. Subscribe here.
