TRAVERSING the Corporate Area yesterday, queues outside supermarkets were lengthy, with shoppers waiting side by side to stock up on precautionary hurricane supplies.

With cashiers barely getting a break and items like water, flashlights and candles going rapidly, various managers told the Jamaica Observer that the usual panic buying, as a result of Tropical Storm Elsa, was evident.

However, a majority of shoppers claimed they were enaging in regular, post-payday shopping.

Patrick Lee, manager at Lee’s Food Fair on Red Hills Road in St Andrew, told the Sunday Observer that Friday and Saturday marked the biggest surge in sales he has seen since the coronavirus pandemic.

“There was a little bit more activity than a normal Friday at this time of the month. I did notice the uptick in business. And because the curfew time was extended, we were actually opened later. But I think people were just coming out because they are concerned about getting supplies and the crowd. People are not letting their guard down,” he said. “After it moved from a hurricane watch to a warning, people are definitely making sure they have supplies. They don’t want to be caught unprepared.”

But on Saturday afternoon the Meteorological Service of Jamaica reported that a hurricane warning was no longer in place, after Elsa was downgraded to a tropical storm.

Lee added that the regular hurricane preparation items were going fast, as expected.

“Just a week ago I was checking my stock to import hurricane supplies and things were looking good. Things have been coming in, but one item that is very short is matches. Other than that, supplies are good at this time.

“A good amount of the tin items; of course bread, because you can store it; water is a big seller; candles of course; batteries and anything to keep the house clean,” he said, noting that no shelves had been cleared up to 10 o’ clock Saturday morning.

Jolisa Smith, assistant manager at Brooklyn Supermarket on Constant Spring Road in Kingston, also said the rush experienced on Saturday morning was unparalleled.

“In the early part of the morning we don’t [usually] get this rush but since we had the warnings and everything, as early as we open, it has been like this. It has been very crowded and it continues throughout the day.

“People are rushing for the necessities in the hurricane season. The kerosene oil, the matches, the lamps, the can stuff and bread is going hot. Those things like batteries, flashlights… those things have also really been going,” she said.

As with Lee, she also had noticed a shortage of matches.

“What we had done is, we stocked up when it came down to the hurricane season; we stocked up on matches and candles so, we have enough stock. We were bracing for it. We know we are going to have at least two hurricanes, so we didn’t want to be lackadaisical and run out of the necessities,” Smith related.

Jehnel Thomas, who was shopping at Brooklyn Supermarket, was among the few who admitted to shopping in response to the hurricane warning from the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM). Shopping with her two children, she told the Sunday Observer that this has been her modus operandi for quite some time.

“I got a lot of water, some soap, bleach; some snacks for the kids in case there is no light and I can’t do much cooking. I got juice that you don’t have to put on fridge — the ones that you can just grab and go. This is a regular thing for me during the hurricane season. I have to be prepared. Better to be prepared than sorry.”

Meanwhile Dennis Chang, manager at Lee’s Food Fair in the Boulevard Super Centre on Washington Boulevard in St Andrew, told the Sunday Observer that there wasn’t a sharp uptick in sales.

“Yesterday [Friday] was a little better than normal but I wouldn’t say it was actually that much more. The evening was fairly quiet so, I was surprised by that. I don’t know if it will continue to be that way. It’s hard to say. Normally, situations like this, it would be very crowded,” Chang said.

“I think people will be concerned and I think people will come out as long as they are able to do it. So, I would expect to see a surge.”

He revealed that there was uncertainty as to whether the branch would be able to supply large demands.

“That is always the issue nowadays with stock, especially in the pandemic. Sometimes, it depends on what we can get. Sometimes they tell you that you’ll get, but it doesn’t really come. We do expect to get stock today. Will it be sufficient? I don’t really know, but we do expect to get some.”

Sharon Roberts, manager at Lee’s Food Fair Pharmacy, said there was much more action during the previous hurricane season.

“I don’t really see the panic buying yet. Normally, we have a rush to the end of the month so we are not sure if it’s the regular month-end buying or if it’s just an extra thing. We have to watch it a little and see. We want to see a little more movement, then we would say definitely, ‘This is it.’ ”