Canadians are changing their grocery shopping habits amid the COVID-19 pandemic, as day-to-day changes are being made in the stores.
“With lineups and security guards, plexiglass and gloves and everything else, it just feels different,” says Sylvain Charlebois, senior director at the Dalhousie University Agri-Food Analytics Lab.
According to a new Angus Reid poll, 52 per cent of people say they now avoid going to the grocery store.
Instead, people are now turning to the option of ordering groceries online and having them delivered. This shift, Charlebois says, could change how grocery shopping is done moving forward.
“Everything will be affected,” Charlebois said.
The coronavirus has not only affected how people shop for groceries, but if people can afford to shop. Forty-four per cent of Canadian households say they have lost work, making it harder to provide the essentials.
Elyse Sanders is the co-founder of Share the Goods, a British Columbia-based company created to help supply support for individuals across Canada.
“It’s a matching service for Canadians who may need a little bit of help with groceries, and it matches them with those who are able to provide help and support during this time,” says Sanders.
Volunteers who sign up provide their budget of what they are able to spend, and are placed with an individual or family in need of financial help.
Sanders explains that volunteers are only expected to shop once for a family, but the connections that have been made has been an unexpected surprise.
“Even just being able to exchange a few quick emails with someone, or talk on the phone, I think, has provided a sense of connection and it has created a beautiful sense of community that we weren’t originally intending on,” Sanders said.
The company has seen an influx in recipient applications in the Regina area, and is currently looking for more volunteers.
Questions about COVID-19? Here are some things you need to know:
Health officials caution against all international travel. Returning travellers are legally obligated to self-isolate for 14 days, beginning March 26, in case they develop symptoms and to prevent spreading the virus to others. Some provinces and territories have also implemented additional recommendations or enforcement measures to ensure those returning to the area self-isolate.
Symptoms can include fever, cough and difficulty breathing — very similar to a cold or flu. Some people can develop a more severe illness. People most at risk of this include older adults and people with severe chronic medical conditions like heart, lung or kidney disease. If you develop symptoms, contact public health authorities.
To prevent the virus from spreading, experts recommend frequent handwashing and coughing into your sleeve. They also recommend minimizing contact with others staying home as much as possible and maintaining a distance of two metres from other people if you go out.
For full COVID-19 coverage from Global News, click here.
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