Demand for milk and dairy products has shifted dramatically over the last few weeks. When the initial surge for dairy sales took place due to COVID-19, ADA North East’s retail team immediately worked directly with stores to assist in stocking the dairy cases, ensuring that product was available for shoppers. At that time as consumers attempted to stock up on essential items, including milk, many stores posted limits on the amount of dairy and other necessities that could be purchased per store visit.
The initial rush on stores with shoppers stocking up has decreased. To ensure that stores are making milk available, last week our retail team contacted the major retail chains in our market area — representing about 1,400 stores — to confirm that their corporate offices have lifted the limitations on the amount of milk and dairy products shoppers can purchase.
Several farmers commented that limit signs are still posted in some stores. In response, our team contacted chain headquarters again about sign removal and determined that some stores are challenged with receiving deliveries of milk and other dairy products on time. Until distribution and supply is corrected, stores may temporarily continue to post quantity limits.
In the past three weeks, the ADA North East retail team has helped stock more than 60,355 dairy products in stores throughout the region. In just two days last week our team assisted several retailers in stocking nearly 9,000 units of fluid milk alone — the majority in New York and New Jersey stores.
Our retail team will continue to assist stores in enhancing retail sales as long as possible under these current conditions.
How can you help? If you see a store that is still limiting milk sales, please take a picture, note the location, date and time and send to Beth Meyer so we can work with the chain to rectify the situation.