Toilet paper, a product that’s become synonymous with grocery shopping during the COVID-19 pandemic, is still hard to come by at local stores, representatives of three Gilmer County supermarkets relayed this week.
“Toilet paper is still a hot commodity, but paper towels are starting to level off. They aren’t selling out every day (now). Toilet paper still seems to be doing that. We’re restocking every night,” said Tom Horton, manager at East Ellijay Walmart.
A call to the local Ingles brought a similar response. Demand for toilet paper remains high, while the store’s supply is usually depleted soon after being restocked.
The shortage isn’t necessarily due to stalled foreign production, as most toilet paper sold in America is produced domestically.
Procter and Gamble, the company that produces Charmin-brand products, produces its paper goods at plants in Utah, Missouri, Wisconsin, California, Pennsylvania and Georgia. Angel Soft and Quilted Northern brands are manufactured by Atlanta-based Georgia-Pacific at North American plants that are mostly in the United States.
“Our tissue manufacturing facilities are operating 24/7 and our employees are doing all they can to serve our customers and meet consumers’ needs during this situation,” reads a recent statement from Georgia-Pacific.
Food Lion manager Harry Horick said the availability of toilet paper has been hit or miss at the East Ellijay store, even though there’s a limit of two packs per customer on paper products.
“As of yesterday we were out of stock, but today we’ve probably got a partial shipment. It’s getting better, but it’s still not even 25 percent of what we would normally carry,” he added. “The supply chain is struggling to catch up and we’re still seeing increased traffic.”
Horton said, although items like toilet paper and hand sanitizer remain in high demand, panic buying seems to be leveling off somewhat at the local Walmart. Protective plexiglass screens were recently installed at the store’s registers and pharmacy, he added.
“It’s actually been a decrease of people coming in (the store). More people are going the (online ordering) route,” Horton said. “We have a capacity protocol we have to follow and we’ve yet to meet that. We have signs posted outside when you come in and inside the building that say please keep at least six feet apart.”
Horick said plexiglass shields installed at the Food Lion cash registers and customer service desk are among several protective measures being taken there.
“We’ve placed markers and graphics on the floor letting customers know to stand six feet apart and we’ve put out large signs explaining social distancing procedures. We also have it over our public address system about every 10-15 minutes cautioning shoppers to stay six feet apart,” he added. “We have associates every day that do nothing but clean from open to close. They are spraying and wiping every touch point in the store, which includes PIN pads, registers, register belts, doors, restrooms and door handles in the frozen food section. When they’re finished, they go back and do it again.”
Senior shopping hours continue
All three grocery stores continue to offer special early shopping hours for senior citizens:
Walmart: Tuesday, 6-7 a.m., special shopping hour for seniors age 60 and over and first responders.
Ingles: Tuesday and Wednesday, 7-8 a.m., special shopping hour for seniors, first responders and immunocompromised customers.
Food Lion: Monday and Wednesday, 7-8 a.m., special shopping hour for seniors age 60 and over, as well as immunocompromised customers.