Despite coronavirus hamster shopping, shelves will keep on being filled

March 17, 2020

Your local supermarket has probably never seemed so important.

In order to “flatten the curve” of new COVID-19 infections, prompted by the dramatic spread of the coronavirus, most European countries and several across the world have taken some of their most drastic measures of the curtailment of public life since World War II.

In Germany, schools, crèches, bars, nightclubs, theatres and all manner of other establishments are closed or will be very soon. On Monday afternoon, it was announced that all “nonessential” shops would close.

Supermarkets will definitely remain open. And they won’t be closing any time soon. They might even be open for longer than usual.

In the world that existed before the novel coronavirus changed everything, supermarkets and grocery stores probably felt like mundane enough places to many in the richer parts of the world. Now, their intrinsic importance to peoples’ lives grows by the day.

However, fears over lockdowns and the implications of the pandemic have led to panic buying and hoarding in many parts of the world.

Social media frenzy

Images of empty shelves, people fighting over toilet roll and long lines of people waiting to enter supermarkets have circulated on social media in recent days.

Britain’s leading food retailers met on Monday to work on contingency measures in the wake of the spike in demand. Shelves have been repeatedly emptied of nonperishable goods, leading the British Retail Consortium to publish an open letter.

“We would ask everyone to be considerate in the way they shop,” the letter said.
“We understand your concerns but buying more than is needed can sometimes mean that others will be left without. There is enough for everyone if we all work together.”

In Germany, there’s a special word for this: hamsterkauf (“hamstering”), explained in detail here. While there have been similar images of empty shelves shared in the country in recent days, the retail industry says that there are currently no significant supply disruptions.

“The supply situation is normal throughout Germany, although there is currently a higher demand for longer-lasting products in individual grocery stores. All food stocks are replenished as part of the deliveries to the shops,” said a spokesperson for the HDE, the German Retail Federation.

That said, the combination of many customers buying in larger numbers, at the same time, the subsequent increased demands on producers, warehouses, delivery drivers and supermarkets themselves, means minor logistical bottlenecks will happen for certain goods in certain places.

Shelves keep on being stacked

Supermarkets typically are chain stores, which rely on their parent companies’ supply chains and logistic centers, in tandem with delivery companies.

“Our employees in the stores, the logistics centers and the headquarters do an extremely good job nationwide,” Kristina Schütz, a spokesperson for the REWE Group, one of Germany’s largest retailers, told DW.

“There were no bottlenecks in both the stationary trading and the REWE delivery service despite the high demand for long-life food, food products, canned goods and drugstore items. We have increased or adjusted the frequency of deliveries to REWE and PENNY stores accordingly.”

Symbolbild Fasten Obst (Kzenon - Fotolia)

However, the obvious surge in demand has placed pressures on the typical flow from producer to warehouse, warehouse to supermarket storage, storage to shelf.

Earlier this week, REWE issued a call for anybody who wanted to work in its stores to apply directly, without any complications. The call was especially aimed at students affected by university closures.

That points toward the main reason for bottlenecks at this time — overstretched employees, from those in production at one end to those stacking shelves at the other. The combination of increased sick leave, requests to stay at home and extra demands at work as a result of increased consumer demand naturally leads to some delays.

Another complication according to Schütz is increased border controls.

“We are observing the development and are preparing to switch to other countries as a source of supply, depending on the development,” she said.

“We are also increasing the stock in our fruit vegetable warehouses to compensate for possible transport-related fluctuations, as we do not expect the situation to change in the short term.”

She expects the forthcoming first German harvest to ease some dependence on overseas producers of some fruit and vegetables, for examples peppers and tomatoes.

Keep calm and carry on

While the images shared on social media and the occasional frenzies in certain places will inevitably spook some, there is currently no serious problems in the supply of groceries across Germany and beyond.

The aforementioned logistical problems due to the increased demand has stretched things, but the solution there lies as much in the hands of consumers as it does in the suppliers and supermarkets themselves, with customer restraint strongly advised when shopping.

Many of Germany’s states have relaxed the Sunday driving bans for trucks, so deliveries can continue throughout the weekend. The option to extend supermarket opening hours to Sunday remains a possibility. Bavaria has already relaxed the rules on this.

So, the overwhelming message to consumers is: Don’t panic. In these strange times we all suddenly find ourselves in, supermarkets have become more than places to buy food in. They are now beacons of normality in an increasingly surreal world. If consumers continue to behave normally in them, it ought to stay that way.

How is coronavirus affecting life in Germany?

Food donations drop

Panic-buying has left empty shelves in supermarkets — and food banks. With Germans snapping up canned goods and toilet paper to weather the outbreak, stores have fewer supplies left over to donate to the needy, said Jochen Brühl, head of Tafel Deutschland, which supports more than 1.5 million people with surplus groceries and other donations. Brühl encouraged those who had overreacted to donate.

How is coronavirus affecting life in Germany?

Bundesliga suspended

After playing one match behind closed doors, the Bundesliga has suspended its season until at least April 2. The Germany football league had considered playing matches behind closed doors until Paderborn’s coach Steffen Baumgart and defender Luca Kilian tested positive for COVID-19.

How is coronavirus affecting life in Germany?

Cultural cancellations

Cultural life has also taken a hit, with major fairs and trade shows canceled or postponed. Among the casualties were the Leipzig Book Fair and the Musikmesse Frankfurt, Europe’s biggest music trade fair. Numerous clubs, galleries and museums have closed across the country, and the gala award show for the annual German film and television award, the Goldene Kamera, has been moved to November.

How is coronavirus affecting life in Germany?

Not the ‘Wuhan flu’

The Chinese origin of the virus has led to an increase in xenophobic sentiment in the places worst hit by the outbreak. Asian restaurants and stores — not just Chinese — have reported empty tables in countries hard hit by the pandemic, and people with Asian features have experienced discrimination. At a recent Bundesliga game in Leipzig, a group of Japanese fans was ejected from the stadium.

How is coronavirus affecting life in Germany?

Flights grounded

German airline Lufthansa has massively reduced its flight capacity as business and personal travel is cut back. The flagship carrier is now seeking state aid, according to a report from Germany business newspaper Handelsblatt. Lufthansa CEO Carsten Spohr will be attending a meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, according to government sources.

How is coronavirus affecting life in Germany?

Car production crippled

Car plants in China have been shut down since January, and major German automakers like Volkswagen and Daimler have said both sales and production have been hit by the epidemic. And with many automakers sourcing electric car parts from China, work at plants in Germany has also hit a stumbling block. Berlin has said it plans to financially support companies suffering coronavirus losses.

How is coronavirus affecting life in Germany?

Fewer tourists

“The consequences for the German tourism sector are serious,” warned Guido Zöllick, head of the German Hotel and Restaurant Association. Already by the second week of March, 76.1% of members had reported a sharp decrease in bookings and a drop in revenue. The German parliament has banned tourists from visiting the glass dome of the Reichstag building until further notice.

How is coronavirus affecting life in Germany?

Border checks

In an effort to prevent further spread, Germany has closed its borders with France, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Austria and Denmark. Authorities in Poland and the Czech Republic had already begun spot checks, measuring the temperature of travelers crossing main road borders out of Germany.

How is coronavirus affecting life in Germany?

School closures

Preschools and primary schools across Germany have shut. The closures have affected more than 2.2 million children up to age 16 countrywide, according to Germany’s Federal Statistical Office. German television stations have adjusted their programming in response to the school closures.

Author: Martin Kuebler