The coronavirus sparked a wave of panic-buying in the United States earlier this month, with customers rushing out to buy groceries and other household items, including the ever-popular toilet paper.
One of the major chains hit hardest was Walmart, who has been the subject of many empty-shelf photos online in recent days in all areas of the store, from food to paper towels. While the store has taken measures to restock, customers are finding empty shelves in all areas of their local stores, and, naturally sharing the photos on social media.
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Empty shelves could be found at Walmarts across the country.
Panic buying at 132nd Walmart. Eggs, potatoes, onions, cereal, cold and flu products, and of course toilet paper. pic.twitter.com/hC813MeYHv
โ Rich Carstensen (@1_snapshot) March 15, 2020
This is insane #COVID19 #Walmart #Texas pic.twitter.com/seEvVP0iqz
โ โจ ๐ณ๐ฆ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐ฏ๐๐ซ๐ฑโจ๐ค๐๐งขโ๐ผ #StillVotingForYang (@VisurantViz) March 19, 2020
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Some people didn’t expect the amount of empty shelves they found.
I just went to Walmart for the first time in a week. I knew they would be out of TP and hand soap, but they were out of EVERYTHING. pic.twitter.com/0prj1ZVI80
โ Eric Nelson (@literaryeric) March 19, 2020
No milk and eggs for me. #walmart pic.twitter.com/erPVUXiVnx
โ Carlito Mariategui (@88softaIlherita) March 19, 2020
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Some showed off the items that remained amid the panic-buying.
I stopped by Walmart to pick up a few things to make dinner. There wasnโt any bread, but Iโm happy to report that there was plenty of tortillas. ๐ #tacofordays pic.twitter.com/orKqlEPWLx
โ Claudia Amezcua (@ClaudiaAmezcua_) March 15, 2020
Walmart meat section. Guess whats left pic.twitter.com/liXFA1K9bW
โ McDonell Farms Ltd (@vartyd) March 16, 2020
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Some added apocalypse hashtags.
the local Walmart here in eastern WA really has that “tales from the borderlands” vibe ๐ณ#coronapocalypse pic.twitter.com/F8YS1hshNH
โ kelsey is ready for a nap (@SherpaWhale) March 15, 2020
Most savage Walmart experience. I think their was more food on the shelves in a walking dead episode. #coronapocolypse pic.twitter.com/n7RFhU1t75
โ ยฉhristina (@Zoleira) March 15, 2020
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Others shared one of the steps Walmart was taking amid the crisis, which included limiting the number of high-demand items customers could buy.
Local Walmart Warning :#coronapocolypse pic.twitter.com/4S9zZMwIHF
โ gilbert.straight@yandex.com (@gilbertstraigh1) March 15, 2020
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To help cope with the high demand and take extra precaution amid the coronavirus, Walmart has shortened its hours to 7 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. in many of its 4,700 U.S. stores as of Thursday, March 19. The company said that the new hours will be in effect until further notice and will “further help” employees restock shelves overnight and clean stores, CNN Business reports. In addition, Walmart will introduce special shopping hours for customers age 60, opening the store one hour early every Tuesday from March 24 through April 28.
Photo Credit: Shutterstock
