Hyderabad: Panic Buying Is Back

Hyderabad: Shaken by the prospects of another stringent lockdown in Hyderabad given no let-up in Covid cases, people are making beelines to stores to stock up all essential items for a month. Supermarkets, pharmacies, malls and general stores were crowded with customers on Wednesday, whereas the suppliers are struggling to beat the demand.

"We had a bad experience in the first lockdown, we could not get milk powder in any supermarket or in any online market last time. The stock was completely sold out everywhere and we don't want to put ourselves in that critical situation once again. So we are stocking up essentials by spending our complete salary," said G Neelima, a VFX editor while shopping in a supermarket at Srinagar Colony.

"Supermarkets welcomed us with empty shelves during the last lockdown. We don't want to risk this time and we are trying to stock up essentials at home, which we can use for at least next two months," said K Murali, MBA student buying eateries at lad bazar in Charminar.

Whereas few shopkeepers filled the shelves sensing the excessive demand and a general store owner at Ameerpet said, "It is common for us to observe a little larger crowd of customers at the beginning of the month, but in the last few days after the rumours and WhatsApp forwards being circulated in the social media about a possible lockdown, we have stocked up the essentials in the store to meet the demand," said P Sathyagnannam, a retailer in Begum Bazar.

Almost all the wholesale general stores and supermarkets in the city are crowded including the Monda market, General bazar, Miralam mandi, Rhytubazars and others.

Similar rush was witnessed also at local general stores. Shopkeepers pointed out the demand for the essentials like rice, pulse, flour, milk products and others. Customers are also procuring sanitizers, face masks and gloves as the stock is seen limited at the stores.