As U.S. grocery stores try to keep shelves stocked during the coronavirus outbreak, some major chains have begun to limit purchases of food items and ramp up hiring.
Texas grocery chain H-E-B is limiting purchases of at least a dozen popular food items, including eggs, milk, bread and boxed pasta. Limits vary by item. Eggs, pasta and milk, for example, are limited to four units per customer.
Kroger said it’s ramping up hiring across the country to keep up with the spike in demand.
Food purchase limits and increased hiring are grocers’ latest response to a surge in grocery shopping in the U.S. As the number of confirmed coronavirus cases has risen and health officials urge social distancing, Americans have rushed to stores to stock up on canned goods, hand sanitizer, toilet paper and other items. The panic buying has challenged grocery stores’ supply chains, as shelves are cleared more quickly than usual and workers must race to keep up.
“Grocery stores become the center of the…
