Supermarkets doing a roaring trade

Sales have increased by 20-30% since the State of Emergency was declared compared to the same time last year.

But they haven’t reached the levels they were at just before the restrictions were put in place. In the week of March 9, thousands of people swarmed into supermarkets and loaded up their trolleys to the maximum. Access to supermarkets is now more controlled and the amount of produce being bought by customers is monitored.

There are still queues forming outside some supermarkets, partly because of the entry restrictions, especially in the early morning hours. El Corte Inglés and Mercadona have introduced a series of access regulations to give priority to the elderly and health professionals so that they can do their shopping.

Small shops and department stores have changed their hours and most of them now close earlier than usual, because fewer customers are shopping in the afternoon. Hygiene measures have been adopted in all establishments, both for users and workers.

Most stores are still offering an online shopping service and some have been overwhelmed with web pages collapsing under an avalanche of orders.

A number of small shops have introduced home delivery to meet demand and promote local produce.

The President of Baleària, Adolfo Utor, says business is almost as brisk as it is in August when demand rockets because of the influx of tourists.