Omicron: Countdown says there will be gaps on meat shelves as supermarket staff isolate
Wednesday, 23 February 2022
Meat is expected to be in short supply on some supermarket shelves towards the end of the week because specialised supermarket staff are having to isolate amid the Omicron outbreak, Countdown says.
Supermarkets have made operational changes, including bringing in temporary staff, to help minimise the impact of Omicron.
Countdown's director of corporate affairs Kiri Hannifin said it would still have a significant impact on specialised roles that could not easily be covered such as butchery and meat processing and forklift and heavy vehicle driving.
“The impact of fewer team members will be significant as these roles can’t be filled temporarily,' she said.
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“We’re seeing this most in the meat sector right now, and customers will likely see gaps on our shelves later this week.”
There was no shortage of meat in Aotearoa, Hannifin said, but because fewer people were working right across the supply chain, it affected how much meat would be on shelves at any one time.
Because there was no shortage of meat supply Countdown expected prices to remain stable.
Hannifin would not say how many staff were isolating across the company, but said members of shop, supply chain and online teams had been unable to work because they had to isolate.
It was the same for Countdown’s suppliers, manufacturers and growers, she said.
Online shopping had also become more popular but people who could shop in-store were encouraged to, to free up space for those who had to stay home.
Omicron case numbers are expected to peak over the next three to six weeks.
It was expected phase three of the red light response was also not far away, with the trigger point around 5000 cases per day.
Under phase three, the definition of a close contact changed and narrowed to being a household contact, which would help businesses keep going with few people required to isolate.
Until then, Countdown would prioritise stocking essential products, such as toilet paper, which sometimes meant other products would be low or out of stock, Hannifin said.
Foodstuffs NZ corporate affairs manager Emma Wooster said New World, Pak ‘n Save and Four Squares were prepared for the peak of the outbreak.
“Under phase two, we will be implementing the Government’s return-to-work policy, where vaccinated team members who become close contacts and are asymptomatic, and return a negative rapid antigen test, can return to work. ”
She said there had been no signs of panic buying, but some items would be low on stock during the peak of the outbreak.
During the Delta outbreak no stores had to close, and although it was a possibility, it would be a last resort, she said.
“Our focus remains on keeping our customers and team members safe, while making sure there’s a constant supply of essentials. We’re in good shape, prepared and as ready as we can be for this next phase. ”