Prior to the presentation of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in T&T, public fear and panic lent an urgency to shoppers who rushed to supermarkets and large retail outlets to stock up on emergency supplies in anticipation of a nation-wide shutdown.
And days after responding to the unprecedented demand for supplies, PriceSmart yesterday confirmed that their stock regarding certain items are now officially low.
In a release, chief executive officer Sherry Bahrambeygui said the low stock count included items such as water, milk, beans, rice, pasta, canned seafood, paper towels, bath tissue, cleaning disinfectant, sanitisers, alcohol, soap and detergent, baby care, pain relief, vitamins, supplements, and gloves.
However, she said every effort was being made to replenish supplies, some of which was dependant on the availability of vendors to adjust to demand.
One week ago, officials informed the public about the measures PriceSmart were taking in order to serve the public.
In the release dated March 16, the CEO assured, “Our entire team in the US and in every country where we operate is working non-stop to anticipate your needs and plan for adjustments that may be advisable or required by local authorities across 13 countries.”
They also revealed that precautionary measures had been increased in the interest of protecting both the public and their employees as they did their part to mitigate the spread of the virus.
Bahrambeygui commended employees for working extended hours and days under demanding circumstances and making personal sacrifices to be available to serve the public.
She urged, “Please be patient with them and with each other as we all work as a community. Only by supporting each other will we have the best outcome.”
In addressing the pricing structure of items, she said, “We have limited the number of in-demand items each member can purchase, in order to make sure that as many members as possible can get what they need and also prevent abuse and reduce the risk that third parties may price gouge on products that are bought in large quantities.”
Having introduced extended hours in many of their locations in order to allow for more time to shop, the CEO said, “We have anticipated additional inventory requirements and our teams behind the scenes are moving quickly to get the right products in the right places as soon as possible.”
Regarding the items that are currently low in stock, Bahrambeygui said, “We are exercising best efforts to replenish these products. We will keep you informed as we know more.”