Reporter Gianina Schwanecke reports on the first day back in the Bay for Covid 19 level 4 lockdown. Video / Warren Buckland
While several shoppers described the madness of Pak'nSave Hastings on Tuesday night, by morning things had calmed down, although there was a steady stream of customers. Photo / Warren Buckland
Hawke's Bay supermarkets bulged to near-capacity as lockdown approached, with some shoppers even being turned away.
Foodstuffs North Island CEO Chris Quin said there was a 50 per cent increase in custom yesterday.
The rush came despite supermarket chains urging normalcy and promising there was plenty to go around.
"Following the announcement from Government this evening that New Zealand is to return to alert level 4 from midnight August 17, our supermarkets and integrated supply chain are prepared, and our stores have a good supply of groceries on the shelves," said a Foodstuffs spokesperson.
Queues outside a Canterbury supermarket last night. Photo / Supplied
Hawke's Bay was not immune to the phenomenon.
A Hawke's Bay Today reporter was turned away from Pak'nSave Hastings about 8pm on Tuesday, after having been told by a security guard the store was "at capacity".
A young Norsewood family with four children under 5 also found their weekly shop was prevented from entering New World Dannevirke.
"We were heading to Dannevirke to do our shopping when the news of the lockdown was announced. When we arrived at the supermarket at about 7pm it was so packed we couldn't get in. We headed for Waipukurau instead as they have two supermarkets.
There were few lines outside New World Hastings on Wednesday morning but shoppers were seen wearing face masks. Photo / Paul Taylor
"But my sister was in one of the Waipukurau supermarkets and messaged me saying it was packed out and there was no bread left.
"We are on a dairy farm, fairly remote, and can only come to town on my partner's day off. I messaged my mum and said 'what am I going to do?'
"Thankfully Mum had bread in the freezer, so we are okay for the meantime but I was horrified at the number of people panic-buying and wiping the shelves clean, leaving nothing for the rest of us. It was awful."
Long lines were also reported at other grocery stores and supermarkets around the region, including New World Flaxmere, on Tuesday night.
Wairahi Thomson said the shops were "hectic" following news about the lockdown. Photo / Warren Buckland
Wairahi Thomson spent the last level 4 lockdown in Auckland so was feeling nervous about being away from family.
She tried to go to the Pak'nSave Hastings on Tuesday night but said it was "too busy".
"It was absolutely hectic."
She returned on Wednesday morning to get a few food essentials and products from the pharmacy for her and her partner.
"It's all good. We'll get through it."
Samantha Skudders (left), Nikki Skudders and Hamish Stock returned to Pak'nSave Hastings on Wednesday morning, where they found several products had been restocked. Photo / Warren Buckland
Hamish Stock and Nikki Skudders had also returned the next day to do their shopping.
"Last night was absolutely crazy," he said. "I thought, 'nah, we can wait'."
"The line of people was from the produce section to waiting at the checkouts."
Returning mid-morning on Wednesday, they had not waited for long.
Several items they'd previously noticed missing on the shelves, like some fruit and vegetables and meat, along with the usual suspects flour and toilet paper, had been restocked by the morning.
Skudders said she didn't understand why people felt the need to "panic-buy" and it made life harder for coeliac people like her.
Hastings woman Tara Taylor was unable to buy flour when busy shopping for her family of nine. Photo / Warren Buckland
While Hastings woman Tara Taylor's trolley may have looked full, it was because she was buying for a family of nine.
"The only thing I wanted to get that they didn't have was a bag of flour," Taylor said.
She didn't understand the panic-buying phenomenon either, saying "just stay calm".
It was "frustrating" to be back at level 4 again, she said.
A police spokesperson said police carried out high-visibility reassurance patrols at a number of essential businesses in Napier on Tuesday evening, including supermarkets.
However, there were no incidents of note, they said.