Faith Beal, Points to Empty Shelf Where Whole Tomatoes Would Usually be Stocked Today.

Shelves Usually Well-stocked with Toilet Paper and Paper Towels Were Empty Today at Walmart, Falmouth.

A Whole Foods Employee Restocks the Fresh Veggie  Section That Had been Empty.

Toilet Paper Continues to be Scarce All Over Portland as Hoarding Continues.

“I deplore hoarding,  It’s selfish,” said Faith Beal, this afternoon at Hannaford Brothers, Forest Avenue,  Beal was looking for whole tomatoes because she wanted to make a sauce.  “They are sold out.  Maybe I still have some at home,” Beal rationalized.

Panic buying is in full swing in Portland stores and toilet paper is most in demand; in fact demand for it may have overtaken demand for face masks.  That will require additional research, however.

Plenty of other products were in short supply at Hannaford’s as well.  The meat display cases were low or empty much of the day.  Cleaning supplies, including laundry soap,  and of course toilet paper supplies were lagging behind demand today.  Empty meat display cases would be restocked tomorrow according to one source. Store management was busy this afternoon trying to replenish toilet paper stock as customers stood by hoping to pick up a roll or two while the supply lasted.

Tom and Andrea Randall visiting from Massachusetts said the panic buying  there is much worse in their hometown.  Toilet paper, cleaning supplies, water, processed foods, sandwich meats and fresh fruit are hard to find.  “I began preparing for this in January with adding stuff so I would not have to hoard anything. I stayed ahead,” said Ivory Rieger,  another shopper at Hannaford Brothers, bumping elbows as we departed.

“It’s crazy in there,” said Danielle Smith, in the parking lot of Whole Foods this afternoon.  “I came in to get canned vegetables and they were out.”

Whole Foods was crazy inside.  It was busier than usual offered one employee.  The fresh fruit counters were empty, although efforts to restock them were underway as mhn.com entered.  The toilet paper and other paper product shelves were totally empty and there appeared to be no effort to restock them.

The shelves usually well stocked with toilet paper and paper towels were earily empty today at Walmart, Falmouth.  One manager said he had no idea when they would be restocked.

Do you think Trumpy has enough toilet paper?  Don’t ask him.  Please.