Customers of Popular Discounts Spooners Hill flocked with urgency to the location in order to stock up on food supplies in reaction to the recent announcement of Barbados’ first two COVID-19 cases.
It was pandemonium in the streets yesterday morning, as locals flocked to the supermarkets during a mass panic buying session, after it was announced that Barbados has recorded its first two cases of COVID-19.
The scenes at one supermarket on the island could only be described as chaos, as just after 9:45 AM, several Barbadians descended upon Popular Discounts, Spooners Hill, to pick up huge amounts of groceries after the announcement of the new cases on the island.
It was just after 12 PM when a team from The Barbados Advocate visited the supermarket, to scores of shoppers lining up anxiously to purchase their goods. In speaking to several shoppers, some reported feelings of fear while others were adamant that they were just stocking up on items in case of shortages.
“I can say I scared a little bit, but I just taking precautions. I honestly just came in here to grab a few things, but after seeing this crowd, I decided to grab as much as I can afford to,” one female customer said.
Another older male shopper said, that though he heard the minister’s statement to not participate in panic shopping, it was his worry that the supermarkets will not be able to restock shelves at an acceptable rate in the next few weeks, so he wanted to get what he could now.
“Yeah this mass panic really is not good. I don’t see the sense in it, but I have to children at home to take care of. If I don’t buy these things now, I ain’t sure when next I will get them. All like now, all the hand sanitizers and Clorox wipes are gone, and most places don’t know when next they will get them back,” he revealed.
Management of the supermarket could not be reached for an official comment during the visit, but several bottles of disinfectant sprays could be seen in use at all the cashier stations, as a way to constantly clean off surfaces being utilised. (SB)