CITIZENS BOMBARD HYPERMARKETS IN EGYPT AMIDST CORONA VIRUS CRISIS

Citizens driven by fear began bombarding hypermarkets and shops on Saturday, after Egypt's Ministry of Health announced that more cases infected with the coronavirus are beginning to show.

Carrefour on Sunday with empty shelves - credits: Nour Diwan

Due to the increase of coronavirus cases around the world, many countries have abstained from exporting goods," said Rasha El Bahie, a concerned buyer. “Egyptians are buying in bulk out of fear that Egypt, a country that highly relies on imported goods, would be on the brink of a famine."

El Bahie added that with the sudden rise in the number of infected individuals in Egypt, it's better to buy as much food as possible and hide at home, than be in danger of catching the virus yourself.

Many citizens in Egypt, who have the same fears as that of El Bahie, have been rushing to buy food in various hypermarkets.

“Since the beginning of the crisis, I have seen more buyers come in here in one day than I have seen in a month," said Mohamed Ahmed, a cashier in Fathallah Market. "Each cart is loaded with so much food that entire shelves at the supermarket are being wiped out."

"What about all the people who can't afford to buy in bulk?" Ahmed added.

The number of citizens who target major hypermarkets has been rising to an extent that Carrefour, a major hypermarket in Egypt, sent SMS messages to all its customers urging them not to panic. In the SMS message, Hany Weiss, chief executive officer of Majid Al-Futtaim Retail, told his customers that he understands their fears concerning the pandemic and the possibility of a famine occurring.

Weiss added that he notices that many have been buying food in amounts that surpass their actual needs. However, he wants to assure his customers that enough food is available and will continue to be available in all branches over the upcoming months. At the end of the SMS message, Weiss urged his customers to stay safe and follow the proper precautions.

Minister of Supply and Internal Trade Ali El-Moselhi stated that there is enough food to last Egypt for many months to come. However, if citizens start overwhelming the market by buying more food than they need, they will contribute in creating the crisis they already think will happen.

Moselhi added that his ministry is prioritizing securing strategic reserves such as wheat, oil, sugar, meat, fish and chicken. Consequently, citizens should rest assured that everything is under control and efforts are being exerted to meet long-term demands.

Since the outbreak of the coronavirus back in December 2019, the world has been swirling in a fit of fear regarding the unknown. Up until now, the world has saved no effort in trying to find a cure. However, with every passing minute, Egypt, like many countries around the world, faces one of the many setbacks that the virus has brought about. Whether Egypt will be able to conquer this setback that poses a danger on the economy and public well-being is a question that remains to be answered over the upcoming weeks.