Hoarding supplies creates friction with shoppers

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - Watching some shoppers fill their cart with toilet paper and water has other shoppers who buy less sounding off during this time of worldwide health concerns.

Hoarding concerns have now led some major markets and big box stores to post signs with limits on quantities. Prior to this, some customers were buying full baskets of important health related items.

At the Costco in Goleta, one customer bought a basket full of N95 face masks and was indicating they would be resold in and around nearby UC Santa Barbara and Isla Vista, a community of 20,000, largely populated by college students.

In Santa Barbara, one grocery manager said a customer bought his final 17 bottles of hand sanitizer.

Not all stores are out of these supplies, however.

NewsChannel 3 showed local neighborhood stores, including Foodland, that were still stocked on Friday.

(For a related story go to: Emergency supplies available at many smaller stores when larger ones were sold out)

Customers who are buying in moderation or in a normal fashion say they are shocked at the intense demand by others, and say their personal supply is adequate.

One local grocery store manager said Saturday a customer came in and purchased $175 worth of toilet paper.

Another customer asked for all of the hand wipes he had in stock.

A customer in Goleta "called out" a store manager when she noticed the price of multi-roll toilet paper had gone up $4 in one week.

Delivery sheets from wholesalers are showing the price to the stores is increasing on some of the essential items that are moving fast. In turn, the stores are increasing their price tags to consumers.

Delivery pricing and quantity reports from wholesalers are showing the unit cost to the stores is increasing on some of the essential items that are moving fast. In turn, the stores are increasing their price tags to consumers.

"I've been in Costco and that was pretty remarkable to see no water," said shopper Matt Fossati.

Others urged residents to stay calm.

Shopper Kathy Snow said, "wait, learn a little bit more and take it easy." She said some of the aggressive shoppers do not apparently think about others.

Disasters in recent years have trained many residents to have a kit ready. "Hopefully everybody learned from that," said Fossetti. "I grew up in Southern California so I'm ready for an earthquake at any time. Always have a couple of weeks of stuff. "     

One customer said she was more concerned about the type of customer she has been seeing lately rather than the possibility of getting the virus.

Coming out of a grocery store with a normal basket of food, Joy Ramirez said, "I think they are pretty crazy. I think they need to wash their hands and use the common safety practices we have been using and save some for the rest of us that aren't hoarding it. I constantly wash my hands with warm water. The things I touch I make sure they are clean. I am not afraid."

Shopper Shiela Carlson said she is not in a panic, "because people are catching the regular flu just as easily. I think that people  who need to be the most cautious are the elderly and people with compromised immune systems."

The Santa Barbara City Council will have an update from medical personnel about Covid-19 Tuesday at 2 p.m.

For more information go to : Covid-19 information or Santa Barbara County Public Health.