Boundary Marketing Manager Cheryl Rushing said everything has been moving well.
“We’ve been very busy,” Rushing stated. “The food stores have been quite busy and we have been doing what we can to keep up. Things are starting to level off, as people are starting to find their routine, how they are going to function during this time.”
She said the cooperatives started to get prepared in early March, when news of the coronavirus spread was starting to come out. They paid attention to the government recommendations, and news from Federated Co-op as well.
“All of the Co-ops reacted quickly. We have a lot of people going in and out of our stores all the time. When safety is concerned, we want to be ahead of the eight ball.”
However, it might have been difficult to prepare for what happened a few weeks ago. In mid-March, when there were still only a few cases of coronavirus in Manitoba, there began a run on a few items. This was happening worldwide, and one of the items on the list was toilet paper. In one day, Boundary Co-op in Boissevain saw the bathroom essential disappear from its shelves. Rushing figures it was part of the initial panic. People saw everyone else buying toilet paper, and followed suit. It was a case of a self-fulfilling prophecy – fear of a shortage meant mass buying, which created the feared shortage. People seemed to forget how much toilet paper they really needed.
“I think our locations were able to get back stock quicker than others,” Rushing said. “Some places were having problems with supply. We were fortunate to still have some stock.”
There have been other items that have sometimes been in short supply. Rushing said some baking items like flour have gone off the shelves pretty regularly, and she thinks people have been at the oven a little more than usual, as it is something they can do while isolating.
At the same time, the grocery stores have been receiving more freight than they usually do, so they are able to keep up with demand.
At times, keeping the shelves filled has taken work. Rushing said there have been periods where it has been “all hands on deck” to get the freight out for the public. That was particularly true early on when there was fear of shortages and when they announced school was closing. Then the regular staff was not enough.
“That weekend, we saw a bit of panic. When the freight was coming in, we had to bring more people in. We needed to make sure the shelves were stocked.”
As well, the local stores have made a few changes. A lot of cleaning in all of the shops is going on all the time. Rushing said this is particularly true in high-touch areas, like the coolers and door handles. It keeps people protected and makes staff and customers feel more at ease.
“It reassures people everything is clean and sanitized,” she explained.
They instituted an earlier opening time for seniors and vulnerable people, so they could shop without having huge crowds. Rushing said that has gone over well and is sometimes busy. People are also phoning or going online to order groceries ahead. Staff will pick everything off the shelves and put it together for shoppers, who can then either pick it up at the store or have it delivered to their curbside. This happens from Monday to Friday in all four of the communities. The handivans do the delivery in Boissevain and Killarney – Killarney also has a delivery van, and staff are doing it in Deloraine and Hartney. Rushing said there has been a good response to this and it is working well for something they put together quite quickly.
Recently, they added a staff member at the door to ask questions of shoppers. They ask how their health is and whether they have been travelling. They also clean off the grocery carts, although they still encourage people to use the wipes provided as well.
“It is just something extra. It is one more layer of protection. They are giving a friendly reminder about social distancing. It is another step we are taking, to maintain safety and help flatten the curve.”
They are also keeping the numbers down in the stores, to help keep everyone safe. In Killarney, they are allowing 40 customers at once, in Boissevain 30 and in Deloraine 20. In Hartney, they are playing it more by ear.
Overall, if people are coming to the store, they are asking them to come one at a time, keep six feet / two metres apart, and to keep hands clean. As well, they would like the public to only pick up items they intend to buy.
Rushing said the staff has been doing a great job of serving and protecting the public. They have their shields up at the registers and have been doing their best to keep the shelves stocked. They are helpful and are doing it all with a positive attitude.
“I am very pleased with everybody,” she stated. “Staff is working very hard and are still doing it with a smile on their face. We are doing the best we can, and the public is seeing that. We are trying to keep everyone safe and we are getting positive feedback from the community. It means a lot.”
by PAUL RAYNER, Recorder staff