Coronavirus: Essential clothes at the big retailers sell out as Kiwis shop for winter

Wednesday, 8 April 2020

Pyjamas and other winter clothes at Farmers have sold out after the store was given the green light to sell essential items.

Parents looking for pyjamas for their children might be out of luck as online supplies become scarce.

Farmers, which was granted permission last week to sell essential items online, has already sold out of a number of items across the baby and children's range.

Sold out items included babies onesies and children's pyjamas.

The rush on winter sleepwear followed the Government's expansion of the essential items list to allow Farmers, The Warehouse, The Baby Factory and others to trade online.

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Farmers' low stocks followed reports of a shortage on some items, including children's clothing, at The Warehouse.

A spokeswoman for The Warehouse denied the reports at the time but the company currently has a notice on its website saying there is high demand for some items and it is working hard to replenish stock.

Since the spread of Covid-19, New Zealand shoppers have engaged in waves of panic buying.

Yeast and flour are currently hard to find at both Countdown and Foodstuffs stores.

At Farmers, essential items include clothes, homewares, heating, bedding, lingerie and beauty items.

The Warehouse is selling a similar range as essential items.

Both companies have been approached for comment.

Chris Wilkinson, managing director of First Retail Group, said shortages in essential items had been influenced by the adoption of the 'just in time' supply chain approach in retail over the last decade.

This approach meant retailers relied heavily on having items arrive just before they were needed in store.

'One of the challenges is that there is a global demand for some of these products at a time when a lot of the supply chains have disappeared. Companies just can't get access to some products quickly,' Wilkinson said.

'There has also been a prioritisation of some of the freight routes for emergency items.'

Shortages on some items like winter clothing were also being influenced by the disappearance of community-based networks, such as secondhand stores, Wilkinson said.

'A lot of those types of products may have been on that secondhand network, where people bought on Trade Me or even swapping in communities, without those it puts pressure on the retailers offering these items for sale.'