Hundreds of people line up to enter a Costco store in Novato, California.
Photo: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
With lockdowns in place in major states and a national emergency declared on Friday, Americans are swarming box stores to stock up for the great disruption ahead. At one Costco in Orange County, California, lines snaked for around a quarter mile on Friday as shoppers waited their turn to enter:
On Sunday, President Trump urged Americans to shop responsibly as they prepare for coronavirus lockdowns: “You don’t have to buy so much,” he said. “There’s no need for anybody in the country to hoard essential food supplies.” To restock in the time of high demand, many stores are closing early. To counter hoarding, the Texas supermarket H-E-B is limiting purchases of some items, including canned soup, beans, milk, eggs, and chicken.
