The shelves of some small-town grocery stores and pharmacies are being stripped by out-of-town residents.

With the media full of images of shoppers in large communities lined up around the corner of big box stores, and row after row of empty shelves inside, some big city residents are flocking to small outlying communities in search of supplies.

What started as anecdotal stories circulating in small towns is now being confirmed by those on the front lines.

91裸聊视频淎bsolutely, people are coming from somewhere else,91裸聊视频� says an employee at I.D.A. Pharmacy in Ashcroft. The town of 1,600 people is located an hour91裸聊视频檚 drive from Kamloops, and about an hour and a half from Merritt and Lillooet.

91裸聊视频淭wo women from Merritt who have relatives here phoned them and asked if we had toilet paper in Ashcroft. They were told 91裸聊视频榶es91裸聊视频�, so they came with about 20 of their friends in several vehicles and loaded up on stuff.91裸聊视频�

She says that the 91裸聊视频渂ig six91裸聊视频� things people come looking for are toilet paper, hand sanitizer, rubbing alcohol, masks, gloves, and thermometers. The store has been making its own hand sanitizer, which has sold out twice, but toilet paper remains the number one item people are seeking.

91裸聊视频淚91裸聊视频檝e had people come up to me in the toilet paper aisle several times, telling me they91裸聊视频檙e from Merritt and Lillooet and they91裸聊视频檙e out of toilet paper there.91裸聊视频�

She says that most people have been understanding.

91裸聊视频淲e have a sign up saying two [packs] per person. On March 17, we found six packages of toilet paper in the back and put them out. A man and woman came up and one said, 91裸聊视频業 can buy two and you can buy two.91裸聊视频�

91裸聊视频淚 said that we have a lot of old age pensioners here, and asked if they could limit themselves to one each and they were absolutely fine.

91裸聊视频淧leasantness is a good way to get through these things.91裸聊视频�

Things may begin to change as of Thursday (March 26), following new rules set in place by the province. Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth announced there would be limits set on how many of certain items you can buy, as well as fines of $25,000 91裸聊视频� and possible jail time 91裸聊视频� for resellers of medical and sanitizing supplies, personal protective equipment and food.

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Ashcroft Safety Mart has also seen an influx of people from outside the area, with the store manager noting he91裸聊视频檚 had people from Merritt, Lillooet, 100 Mile, and many from Kamloops.

91裸聊视频淭hey91裸聊视频檙e mostly here because the stores in their communities have empty shelves. They91裸聊视频檙e looking for hand wipes, toilet paper, sanitizers, canned goods, potatoes, flour, sugar and bread.91裸聊视频�

Traffic at the store is about twice as busy as usual, but shipments are not coming in as quickly as they normally would.

91裸聊视频淭hat91裸聊视频檚 understandable. All the suppliers and manufacturers have been caught off guard. A lot of our suppliers have seen their orders go up substantially and they91裸聊视频檙e behind the eight ball.

91裸聊视频淭hey weren91裸聊视频檛 prepared either. It91裸聊视频檚 not like a regular holiday like Christmas or Easter, where we start planning two months before for staffing and supplies. It should be no problem getting things, it will just take a little while to get everyone back on line.91裸聊视频�

At Clinton Budget Foods, about half-an-hour north of Ashcroft, new owner Nav Singh has seen people coming from out of town, as well as highway travellers driving between Kamloops or Vancouver and Prince George.

91裸聊视频淭he big cities are out of groceries so they91裸聊视频檙e stopping here to do a general shop.91裸聊视频�

The store has put a limit on toilet paper to make it more convenient for local seniors, but Singh says that otherwise people are finding everything they need. 91裸聊视频淲e91裸聊视频檙e good on stock.91裸聊视频�

The AG Foods grocery stores in Scotch Creek and Chase, east of Kamloops, are also seeing an influx of people from larger centres.

91裸聊视频淪ome people are telling us they91裸聊视频檙e from out of town,91裸聊视频� says an employee at the Scotch Creek store. 91裸聊视频淚91裸聊视频檝e noticed some new faces. Someone put it on Facebook that we have stock, and people are buying quite the buggy full.91裸聊视频�

At Freshmart in Lumby, 25 minutes east of Vernon, head cashier Jo-Ann Parr says that they have been coping with orders coming in only half-filled and up to two days late. Staff are working as fast as possible to restock the meat cooler, and toilet paper is flying off the shelves.

91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 going out as fast as it91裸聊视频檚 coming in.91裸聊视频�

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An issue the store is facing is people from out of town coming to stock up.

91裸聊视频淲e91裸聊视频檙e getting people from Vernon and Kelowna coming out here,91裸聊视频� says Parr, who doesn91裸聊视频檛 think it91裸聊视频檚 fair that some Lumby citizens are going without because out-of-towners are stocking up.

91裸聊视频淲e91裸聊视频檙e trying to help our community,91裸聊视频� she says. 91裸聊视频淭here91裸聊视频檚 a lot of seniors here and families who have to wait until child tax comes in.91裸聊视频�

Grocery stores in Cherryville, east of Lumby, report that they have not been immune to the toilet paper craze, but Lori Petersen 91裸聊视频� a cashier at the Cherryville Emporium 91裸聊视频� says for now staff haven91裸聊视频檛 noticed a big difference. Frank91裸聊视频檚 General Store was sold out of toilet paper, Lysol wipes, and hand sanitizer, but other than that things have been normal, according to owner Lisa Schwartz.

In Enderby, between Salmon Arm and Vernon, the IGA and Red Basket grocery stores have experienced shortages.

91裸聊视频淭he products are coming in, but they91裸聊视频檙e just going out faster than they come in,91裸聊视频� Red Basket general manager Seng Phung says, adding that people don91裸聊视频檛 need to panic.

91裸聊视频淚t just takes time to stock and it takes time to order.91裸聊视频�

IGA assistant manager Matt Briard says the store is seeing shortages of a variety of items, including toilet paper, paper towels, Kleenex, hand sanitizer, Clorox wipes, bleach, tomatoes, beans, and more.

He notes that around 60 items were either vendor-shorted or out of stock in a recent order.

91裸聊视频淲e had half our order pretty well shorted.91裸聊视频�

In McBride, more than two hours east of Prince George, the manager of McBride AG Foods says he hasn91裸聊视频檛 noticed many people coming from the city, although some people who are heading to Prince George are stopping in.

However, he added that while local customers are buying a little bit more 91裸聊视频� which he says is understandable 91裸聊视频� they91裸聊视频檙e not overstocking and there91裸聊视频檚 no panic. Others who were interviewed for this article say that local customers have been overwhelmingly calm, good-natured, and understanding during a stressful time.

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With files from the Vernon Morning Star.

editorial@accjournal.ca
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