Seniors participating in special shopping hours disappointed by empty shelves

Some senior shoppers who woke up early to get to Stop & Shop locations say they came in to see nearly empty shelves.

News 12 Staff

Mar 19, 2020, 9:34 PM

Updated 1,730 days ago

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Stores across Long Island have designated special shopping times to seniors and those who are vulnerable during the coronavirus pandemic, but some say the efforts are coming up short.
Some senior shoppers who woke up early to get to Stop & Shop locations say they came in to see nearly empty shelves.
"The meat counters were decimated, the bread aisle was decimated and the frozen vegetable area was decimated," says Dennis Sargent, of Seaford.
Many shoppers who came between 6 and 7:30 a.m. say they know Stop & Shop is doing the best it can, but still think it needs a better plan.
Stop & Shop says it's experiencing increased sales across its stores, and says it is accommodating the best it can.
"Stop & Shop receives deliveries throughout the day and we have associates on call that are packing out as the trucks arrive," says Stop & Shop District Director Al Steiger.
While the early shoppers are upset at the lack of supplies, others are just nervous that they are in a big crowd together.
"It didn't dawn on me that we're all senior citizens, we're all over 60 years old, and this is not a very healthy situation for us to be in," says Patricia Hottinger, of Smithtown.
Target, Walmart and Whole Foods are also participating in special senior shopping hours.