N.S. grocery stores prepare for 'unprecedented' Easter weekend

Easter weekend is usually one of the busiest for Nova Scotia grocery stores, but retailers aren't sure what to expect during a pandemic.

At Gateway Meat Market in Dartmouth, N.S., owner Tamara Selig said the business has adapted to COVID-19 public health rules by increasing physical distancing measures in the store, cleaning more and setting up a tent for those waiting outside.

"Typically, Easter is the busiest grocery weekend of the entire year, over Christmas and Thanksgiving," Selig said. "So we're not sure how that's going to be affected yet because of everything that's going on right now, and the inability to have family dinners.

"It's kind of a wait-and-see, but we're definitely prepared for it to be busy."

Parking lot pickups

Selig has been happy to see many people stocking up on two weeks of groceries in every run to limit the number of outings. She's also already seen plenty of sweet potato, carrots, turnip and cabbage, and other vegetables popular at Easter, in various carts.

Since Gateway has a limit of 25 people in the store during COVID-19, it has added a no-contact system of parking lot pickups.

Nearly every day, the store posts a full cart of groceries for $100 on Facebook, including meats, produce and desserts, that people can purchase over the phone. Then customers arrive, call the store, and those items are brought to the car.

Selig said the cart service has been a "big hit." Gateway has also designated the first shopping hour for seniors and those with compromised immune systems.

Since Gateway remains open through the whole weekend, Friday through Monday, Selig said people have more time to shop. She's hoping this helps avoid any long lines or panic buying in the coming days.

Good Friday and Easter Sunday are designated as retail closing days in Nova Scotia and most larger businesses will not open.

Sobeys has used social media to ask shoppers to pick up Easter items early "to reduce the crowds" on the holiday weekend.

At Loblaws, which includes Atlantic Superstore and No Frills, spokesperson Mark Boudreau said the company also sees an increase in business at Easter. People are usually celebrating the holiday with family and friends, but also simply marking the unofficial beginning of spring.

"This year we are ... in uncharted territories," Boudreau said. "Obviously, this is unprecedented times we're experiencing right now, so it's difficult for us to anticipate.

"People's shopping habits have changed, their typical shopping habits. We don't expect that to be any different at Easter time."

Spike in online orders

One thing Loblaws is expecting is a spike in online shopping orders, Boudreau said. That part of the business has doubled in recent weeks.

In Halifax, Boudreau said bigger stores have seen even more demand. The Joseph Howe Drive location has seen five times its usual level, going from from 40 orders a day to around 200.

This has led to long waits for customers, many having to book a week in advance, but Boudreau said more staff has been hired to handle orders. There is extra space in the stores, more freezers and more spaces for pickups in the parking lot.

"We're catching up," he said. "By the end of week, I would hope to say that people wouldn't have to wait more than a couple days."