Customers rush to supermarkets

Long queues and frayed tempers were witnessed in most of the supermarkets in Hyderabad as the news about closure of schools, malls and cinema halls from Sunday spread. “I got three messages about stocking up on staples, groceries and essentials. I think similar messages have been received by others as well,” said Abdul Manan, at a well-known supermarket in the Banjara Hills area. Outside the market, parked cars created a traffic congestion as shoppers rushed to fill up their carts with bags of wheat flour, rice, lentils, liquid soap refill packs, milk powder and beverages.

“I got a list of dry rations that we can stock. If there is no emergency they can be disposed of or shared with others. But if there is an emergency lockdown we will be prepared for at least a few months,” said Venkatesh G., a techie, who said he has completed most of the shopping.

“I tried to buy on an online grocery store but they have run out of stocks and that’s why I had to come here. But frankly, how much can you store? For how long? Ten days, one month. How long will the quarantine shut-down last? We don’t know that,” said Geeta, a market researcher, who said she came shopping for essentials.

“We are privileged that we can buy whenever we want. What about the others?” said Ms. Geeta discounting the need for panic buying. A similar crowded scene was witnessed in other supermarkets as well across the city.

One of the lists doing the rounds on social media includes dry rations as well as list of medicines. “This does not look like panic buying. This is just weekend rush but what people are buying now is different. They are picking up large bags of atta, rice, noodles and soup packets. If there is panic buying we would know it on Monday,” said a shop hand at the supermarket.

Panic buying has already led to a spike in the prices of the masks and hand sanitisers in the city.