SUMMERSIDE, P.E.I. — Call it basic human instinct, over preparedness or social curiosity — Islanders can’t help scrambling into grocery and hardware stores as winter storms approach.
“The shopping patterns of customers is unpredictable, but it does seem to follow basic human survival needs,” said Pam Smallman, manager of Atlantic Superstore Summerside.
“We all know that worry after seeing a news report in a movie or somewhere else in the world when an impending storm becomes a lot worse than we thought. People are buying things to ensure they are prepared for the worst.”
Prince Edward Island was issued a winter storm warning Tuesday, indicating a winter storm was going to hit the Island Wednesday.
According to Environment Canada the low-pressure system approaching the Maritimes and will bring up to 30 centimetres of snow and ice pellets.
Tueday, in anticipation of the winter weather, Island residents flocked to stores like Superstore and Home Hardware to stock up on necessities.
Food, food and more food
The major staples are bread, milk, pop, chips and snack foods and - surprisingly - perishable foods, said Smallman.
Other times there are huge increases in purchases of water, batteries and candles.
“Then there’s salt and windshield-washer fluid. We’ll probably sell out of both before the day is through,” she said Tuesday morning.
Smallman said sales the day before a storm can increase by about 25 to 30 per cent.
“There will be influxes of people right up until the weather gets bad.”
While shoppers can never have enough storm chips, items like books and magazines are declining in pre-storm popularity.
“Lots of people have e-readers and tablets and can access materials electronically. It’s become a very online world.”
Smallman said customers also lean toward items that can be used in a meal that doesn’t require electricity (sandwiches, crackers, cheese etc.)
Then there are the chips and snack foods.
“Those are major comfort foods for many people waiting out a storm.”
Storm Survival Kit
Having enough food is always a top priority, but Duane MacDonald, manager of Callbeck’s Home Hardware and Building Centre in Summerside, said there are a number of household and outdoor items that are also crucial.
“The big sellers this year have been salt, sand, and ice picks. Last year there was a lot more snow, so the popular items were shovels and snow blowers,” he said.
Another hot-ticket item has been safe-for-pets salt.
“Pet owners are becoming more conscious of their animals that may go outside and walk where salt is.”
Since a power outage on Nov. 29, 2018, that affected much of the Island after a winter storm, customers have also invested in back-up generators, kerosene and lanterns along with staples like candles, flashlights, matches and lighters.
MacDonald said winter supplies are ordered in the summers season so gauging the demand of an item can be difficult.
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