Auckland supermarkets are experiencing a surge in shoppers, with long queues forming and essential items flying off the shelves as residents prepare for the arrival of Cyclone Vaianu this weekend. Reports from across the city indicate a wave of buying, reminiscent of previous lockdowns, as households brace for potential flooding and power cuts.
At the PAK'nSAVE in Wairau Road, Glenfield, the car park was at capacity on Saturday morning, with dozens of cars circling for a space. Inside, checkout queues were reportedly ten-deep, with trolleys laden with staples like bottled water and toilet paper. The scenes reflect a city on edge, responding to severe weather warnings that have been issued across the North Island.
'The busiest I have ever seen it'
Regular shoppers were taken aback by the sheer volume of people. Stephanie Gallardo, who does her grocery shopping at the Wairau Road supermarket every Saturday, said it was the busiest she had ever witnessed. "Whether there's a cyclone or not, we will go to PAK'nSAVE around this time of day," she said. However, the atmosphere on this occasion was markedly different. "Most of them are panic buying, really," she told RNZ. Similar issues have surfaced in Auckland, where travel has been disrupted by Cyclone Vaianu.
Originally from the Philippines, Ms Gallardo said she was not overly worried about the approaching storm, drawing on her experience with similar weather events. Her sentiment was not shared by all, as many shoppers were driven by a sense of urgency to secure supplies before the cyclone hits.
Other customers, like Vladimir and Zoya, arrived at 9am to find that many products had already been snapped up. They expressed frustration at the bare shelves and inflated prices.
The price is so high, and there's not really anything in the market. We can't find some products. It's already sold out. So many people - maybe before the cyclone [comes] in - the people just worrying about the food and everything.
Despite the depleted stock, the couple focused on their usual grocery run, noting that they always maintain a stocked pantry for unforeseen events. "We always have some food in the pantry [just in] case," Zoya said, a practice that emergency management officials strongly encourage.
An island-wide alert
The rush to the stores comes as no surprise, given the official warnings in place. Cyclone Vaianu is tracking towards the North Island, with heavy rain already falling in Whangārei and evacuations ordered in the Far North. MetService has issued a number of red and orange weather warnings, indicating a high risk of significant impact from heavy rain and strong winds. In response, states of emergency have been declared in Northland and Tauranga.
Auckland Emergency Management is urging residents to have a plan in place. This includes securing outdoor furniture, clearing gutters, and having an emergency kit with enough food, water, and medical supplies to last at least three days. Authorities stress that while preparation is crucial, panic buying can create unnecessary shortages and impact those who are unable to purchase items in bulk. More information on preparedness can be found on the Auckland Emergency Management website.
Shopper Jess Clark said the Wairau Road car park was "crazy" but the situation inside was manageable, as the store had opened all its checkouts. She had purchased her usual items, with the addition of bottled water. "Our water's actually been gross in Beach Haven already, so we just thought we'd get some just in case," she said. Another shopper, Amid, commented that while the queues were long, they were not as severe as those recently seen at petrol stations.
Echoes of past emergencies
The sight of empty shelves and packed supermarkets has become a familiar response to crises. The global COVID-19 pandemic saw similar instances of stockpiling as people sought to regain a sense of control amid uncertainty. This behaviour contrasts with past generations' reliance on home gardens and preserves, a time before the rise of 'one-stop' supermarkets which began to appear in New Zealand in the late 1950s. The first Foodtown, which opened in Ōtāhuhu in 1958, marked a shift towards centralized, car-dependent grocery shopping.
Today, this reliance on a just-in-time supply chain means that sudden surges in demand, as seen ahead of Cyclone Vaianu, can quickly strip shelves bare. This leaves many, particularly the elderly or those on low incomes, at risk of being unable to access essential supplies. The current situation serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of community-mindedness during emergencies, with many hoping for a return to normalcy once the storm passes. Various community activities are popular across the region, with some residents taking their minds off the weather by planning for future events like the diverse array of activities in Bunbury.
As the storm approaches, the focus for many Aucklanders remains on home and family. The shared experience of preparing for the cyclone, from the queues at the supermarket to securing properties, highlights the community's collective effort to weather the storm safely. Shoppers like Vladimir and Zoya's approach of maintaining a constant state of readiness, rather than reacting at the last minute, offers a valuable lesson in resilience for all residents.
