Out-of-stocks ARE actually a big deal

I feel a disturbance in the force — in several produce departments and in all the other grocery stores this produce scribe patronizes. In numerous markets I hear this familiar phrase too frequently: out of stocks.

To many consumers, this is a common sight. To this and every consumer in a post-pandemic era, it’s all we hear about on the news: backed up barges of goods sitting in undermanned ports. All in want of drivers to transport the freight to retailers. We’ve all heard the reasoning muttered when shopping for everything from a sheet of plywood to a grapefruit spoon.

“Sorry, we’ve been on backorder now for some time. We hope to be back in stock next week.”

Sure, Armand, we know there’s crazy supply and logistics issues. But those are nonperishable items. What does this have to do with groceries, specifically fresh produce? 

What it has to do with groceries, my inner-voice friend, is that consumers have heard these laments now, from so many, for the past 18 months, that it’s all too easy to not keep shelves stocked – losing our usual sense of urgency, knowing that there’s always the supply-chain crutch to lean on. 

Whether it’s really the reason – or not.

The U.S. and its grocery retailers have a proud, rich history of upholding the highest standards in the world. Customers have always been able to obtain pretty much anything on the shopping list. And with expanded growing supply, the same customer now can count on purchasing produce commodities that only a few decades ago were strictly seasonal. 

Time to reinforce the “old normal” message: Everyone has a job to do, and everyone should do it to the best of their ability. 

 

And yet, today it’s not uncommon to shop the aisles and see decimated shelves, including plenty of holes where there was once fresh produce.

To be sure, part of this is legitimate logistics issues, or the labor required to get goods from point A to point B.

However, part of it (and this is the part that troubles me when seeing less-than-desirable fresh produce shopping conditions) is the possibility of “stocking fatigue,” apathy, or worse. After all, most chains are doing their best to keep an uninterrupted supply from growers, through their warehouses, to the stores. 

Take an honest look at a depleted display: Is it truly out of stock? Or is there adequate supply in back, buried somewhere, waiting to be stocked? I’ve had to press busy produce managers, “Do you have any more of (fill in the blank) in the back?” And most of the time, yes, they do. However, customer prompting should never be the impetus to fill empty shelves. It’s a recipe for losing customers for good. 

Therein lies the challenge for district managers, for store and for produce managers. As much as possible, it’s back to gut-check time and ensure that aggressive, accurate ordering is back on track, that produce managers insist that clerks pick up the pace, not only to fully stock shelves, but to instill a sense of pride and customer service so that everything is done completely. Correctly. Cheerfully. 

Time to reinforce the “old normal” message: Everyone has a job to do, and everyone should do it to the best of their ability. 

Armand Lobato works for the Idaho Potato Commission. His 40 years’ experience in the produce business span a range of foodservice and retail positions.