- Title: Long lines at American grocery stores as essentials fly off the shelves
- Date: 14th March 2020
- Summary: WASHINGTON, D.C., UNITED STATES (MARCH 14, 2020) (REUTERS) SHOPPERS PUSHING EMPTY CARTS TOWARD STORE ENTRANCE VARIOUS OF PEOPLE ON LONG LINE THAT WRAPS AROUND EXTERIOR OF STORE FRONT OF STORE WITH LINE OF SHOPPERS ENTERING, SHOPPERS WITH FULL CARTS LEAVING AND CARS PERSON PUSHING VERY FULL CART AS PEOPLE WALK INTO SHOP WITH SIGN THAT LISTS ITEMS THAT ARE SOLD OUT (SOUNDBITE) (English) KAMAUR FAIR, WASHINGTON, D.C. RESIDENT AND SHOPPER, SAYING: "Yeah man, I'm here with my older brother. We came here to get some groceries, you know the whole coronavirus thing going on, so we should be all right for the next two to three weeks." JOURNALIST OFF-CAMERA: 'What's this line like?' FAIR: It makes no sense. It's like. You shouldn't be able to pull in from the highway and see people... Like people are all the way over here by Jersey Mike's (sandwich shop). I can't even see the door to the store." EMPLOYEE CLEANING UP PARKING LOT WOMAN PULLING CART WITH BABY AND JUMPING (SOUNDBITE) (English) HUA LU AND K.C. DUTTON, WASHINGTON, D.C. RESIDENTS AND SHOPPERS, SAYING: DUTTON: "It's moving so we'll put up with it. It's fine. I... Who knows? LU: "We need the wine." DUTTON: "We need the wine; that's why we're here. We don't care about toilet paper or cleanser; we're here for the wine. Yeah, we'll be honest." LINE WRAPPING AROUND STORE AS PEOPLE WITH VERY FULL CARTS WALKING OUT WOMEN LOADING TRUNK OF VAN WITH GROCERIES PEOPLE WALKING OUT OF SHOP WITH FULL CARTS WOMAN LOADING GROCERIES FROM CART INTO TRUNK OF CAR (SOUNDBITE) (English) ALEXIS COPPOL, WASHINGTON, D.C. RESIDENT AND SHOPPER, SAYING: "I mean I'm not too worried but if we get put on a lock down, I want to make sure I have food." JOURNALIST OFF-CAMERA: "And how about the whole toilet paper fiasco? What's going on in Costco?" COPPOL: "They have a lot of toilet paper and a lot of bottled water." WHITE FLASH (SOUNDBITE) (English) ALEXIS COPPOL, WASHINGTON, D.C. RESIDENT AND SHOPPER, SAYING: "It's crazy. People have gone crazy." LINE WRAPPING AROUND STORE WITH SECURITY OFFICERS GUARDING LINE NEAR CARTS WOMAN PUSHING FULL CART WITH LITTLE GIRL DANCING ALONGSIDE PEOPLE PUSHING FULL CARTS BETWEEN ROWS OF CARS CARS DRIVING THROUGH FULL PARKING LOT EXTERIOR OF STORE WITH LINE OF CARS LEAVING, LINE OF PEOPLE TO GET IN AND U.S. FLAG ON TOP
- Embargoed: 28th March 2020 17:14
- Keywords: Costco coronavirus pandemic shoppers toilet paper
- Location: WASHINGTON, D.C., UNITED STATES
- City: WASHINGTON, D.C., UNITED STATES
- Country: USA
- Topics: Health/Medicine,Editors' Choice
- Reuters ID: LVA001C50XDTZ
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: From Jersey City on the East Coast to Los Angeles on the West Coast, American shoppers picked grocery store shelves clean on products ranging from disinfectants to rice, causing retailers to race to restock their stores as the worsening coronavirus crisis stoked fears of shortages.
Daily routines have been upended as businesses including Amazon.com urge employees to work from home, schools and universities close, and sporting events and church services are paused across the country. In response to the run on certain items, major retailers have imposed some purchase limits.
Shoppers swarmed stores such as this Costco in Washington, D.C., leaving with carts full of groceries, water and toilet paper. Retailers reported limiting the number of cold medicines, face masks, hand sanitizers, disinfectant wipes and sanitary products per visit.
(Production: Tom Samson, Arlene Eiras) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2020. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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