Houston grocery stores are bustling as colder weather prompts residents to stock up on essentials.
HOUSTON — Grocery stores across the Houston area are seeing an increase in shoppers as colder weather moves in and people prepare to stay home over the coming days.
Inside a Kroger on Buffalo Speedway, carts were filling up quickly with what store managers say are essential items — but they stress there’s no need to panic buy.
“What goes in your cart matters right now,” said Ryan Phan, the store’s manager. “Today, we’ve seen a lot of people coming in and getting water.”
Phan says the goal is to be prepared, especially in case of power outages. He recommends shoppers pick up basics like batteries, flashlights, candles and lighters — items that can be critical if electricity goes out.
“We don’t know what’s going to happen in the next few days, but in the event of a power loss, we have the batteries and the shelf-stable items that people can purchase right now,” Phan said.
Shoppers are also encouraged to focus on foods that don’t require refrigeration and can last several days, such as canned goods, cereal and peanut butter.
“The stuff that we don’t need to put in the refrigerator,” Phan said.
As the weekend approaches, grocery stores are expected to become even busier. Phan says his store has already seen nearly double the usual foot traffic.
Despite the rush, store officials say supply chains remain strong.
“We still have trucks coming in tonight, tomorrow night, Friday — even heading into the weekend with the weather,” Phan said.
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