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- Medford ShopRite Assistant Manager Rob Taylor assists customer Greg Phelps with self checkout access (Krystal Nurse/The Sun).
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- Murphy’s Markets of Medford’s shelves in the paper products aisle lacks toilet paper as Vice President Ronald H. Murphy comments the business’s supplier is unable to fulfill restock requests (Krystal Nurse/The Sun).
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- Throughout its store, ShopRite of Medford has postings of strict product limits on certain items as panic purchases causes items to previously going out of stock (Krystal Nurse/The Sun).
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- Bare shelves in the paper goods aisle of ShopRite leaves customers deciding on their families’ necessity of having toilet paper at home (Krystal Nurse/The Sun).
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- A sign all too familiar to Murphy’s Markets customers, posted in the paper products and household cleaning aisles (Krystal Nurse/The Sun).
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- Rob Taylor, assistant manager at ShopRite of Medford, listens to the other managers and employees relaying messages over his walkie-talkie (Krystal Nurse/The Sun).
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- One lone box of exam gloves rests on the shelves at ShopRite (Krystal Nurse/The Sun).
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- Marlton caretaker Edward Tamburo Jr. looks at the toilet paper selection in disappointment as he deals with low stock of paper products at his job (Krystal Nurse/The Sun).
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- Customer George Noecker of Medford Lakes looks at the empty toilet paper shelves, expressing no worries on completing his shopping list (Krystal Nurse/The Sun).
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- ShopRite of Medford customer Dina Hess of Marlton compares available aspirin products as the store experiences low supply of aspirin relief (Krystal Nurse/The Sun).
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- Medford ShopRite Assistant Manager Rob Taylor directs customers to an aisle as self checkout and other lanes overflow (Krystal Nurse/The Sun).
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- Cashiers are inundated with long lines at checkout as ShopRite of Medford experiences a heavy volume of shoppers on March 13 (Krystal Nurse/The Sun).
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- Wife and husband Pam and Greg Phelps of Marlton browse shelves of antibacterial soaps, knowing they can only purchase two (Krystal Nurse/The Sun).
Toilet paper? Gone. Paper towels? Gone. Disinfectant? Gone. Hand sanitizer? Gone.
Higher-than-normal volumes and purchases in stores have made managers restructure the work force, restocking methods and more as public reaction to COVID-19 (or the novel coronavirus strain) has left shelves empty, and some shoppers searching for answers.
“We’re trying to get the products in the stores and we’re not able to,” said Ronald H. Murphy, vice president at Murphy’s Markets. “We’re having difficulty sourcing the things we would typically carry for.”
Murphy’s and the ShopRite of Medford are both experiencing severe shortages in hand sanitizer, disinfectant products, paper products (paper towels, toilet paper, napkins, etc.) and cleaning supplies such as bleach.
Murphy said he has seen items sell out since New Jersey’s coronavirus cases have risen.
ShopRite was experiencing the same effects with longer than usual lines at registers and self check out. On March 13, Assistant Store Manager Rob Taylor joined his fellow managers in directing shoppers to specific aisles.
Shoppers filling their weekly grocery lists lingered in the paper products aisle searching for what was left.
“It’s insane that people are doing this because they’re not leaving stuff for people that do need it,” ShopRite customer Edward Tamburo Jr. said. “There might be an individual who has parents, their husbands, wives and others that needs toilet paper, that needs something.
“You’ve got to work together and watch out for each other.”
ShopRite of Medford has yet to respond to an inquiry from The Sun as it deals with the high volume of customers.
Murphy said shelves have been restocked slowly as his stores’ supplier is focused on getting household products to governments, health care professionals, schools and other places that “have a greater need.”
Multiple purchases spurred by the pandemic have nearly wiped out ShopRite’s stock of meats, bread and cleaning supplies..
“They’re stockpiling this and they don’t need it,” Tamburo said. “I’m going to be a grandfather soon and I want to make sure I’m OK, my wife, who’s a teacher, (and) my daughter are OK.”
As of deadline, Murphy’s Markets had not yet seen the same effects in its meat departments. Store employees were directed to wipe down self-checkouts and registers for disinfecting.
In hindsight, Murphy said the company should have imposed strict quantity limits so everyone could get supplies.
“We weren’t able to buy in the amount of quantities they (ShopRite) were, so by the time it came time to order those products in the store, we weren’t able to put the limits on products because we were sold out of them,” he explained.
Tamburo believes the shopping frenzy could induce anxiety and panic in young kids,
“They showed a video of a Costco in Southern California where the line to get in was two hours long,” he explained. “Those lines are longer than (Disney rides) It’s a Small World and Space Mountain.
“Just to get in you have to wait for so long.”
Shoppers, Tamburo opined, could get inventive with their lists, such as cutting a roll of paper towels in half to act as toilet paper or using “certain types” of mouthwash as hand sanitizer.
Starting March 17, stores such as Murphy’s Markets and ShopRite of Medford were permitted to be open past the state’s 8 p.m. curfew. Gov. Phil Murphy added those stores (including gas stations, pharmacies and medical offices) do not have to abide by the evening closure mandated for non-essential retail.
“As a grocery store, we do intend on staying open for as long as possible, and as much as possible, so that the community can get what they need and feel safe, and have the things they need to stay safe at home,” Murphy reiterated.
“We have to pull together in times of need,” Tamburo added. “I don’t care about your political views, religion — if you need toilet paper, I will give it to you. We’ve got to come together.”
