Supply was disrupted as earthquake aid trucks remained on the road, market shelves remained empty

After the great destruction caused by the earthquakes in Kahramanmaraş, citizens mobilized to send aid to the region, but the fact that the trucks carrying aid to the earthquake victims were on the road caused a few days of supply interruption.

Speaking to Sozcu.com.tr, the board member of the Association of Food Retailers and the board member of the Onur market, Erdal Tüfekçi, said that the stocks of hygiene products such as baby food, diapers, baby bottles and sanitary napkins were out of stock and these shelves remained empty for the first 3 days. .

Tüfekçi affirmed that although there are losses in the products of some imported brands, there is no problem in the stock of national brands; Faruk Güzeldere, president of the Istanbul Retailers Association (PERDER Istanbul), explained that retailers are prepared for the stock of food products due to the proximity of Ramadan, so there are no problems on the shelves where these products are located.

On the other hand, it is claimed that the expectation of a major earthquake in Istanbul caused citizens to panic buy and run out of furniture fixing supplies in some stores.

NATIONAL PRODUCTS ARE LOCATED, IMPORTS DECREASE

Erdal Tüfekçi stated that there were delays in the supply of out-of-stock products due to waiting on the road for the TIR, which brought a lot of aid to the earthquake region, but this was limited to a few days, and that there is no problem of stock and supply throughout the sector at the moment.

Tüfekçi, who stated that a situation like empty market shelves is seen especially in Istanbul, said, “After the sensitivity of our people in all provinces, the stocks have melted down. We also have to work at a certain stock level. Excessive numbers of trucks headed into the region for a while and had to wait. However, our supply problems were limited to a few days. As of this week, there is no such problem,” he said.

In particular, the shelves with hygiene products such as diapers, sanitary napkins and wet wipes remained empty.

GAZIANTEP WAS AN IMPORTANT MANUFACTURER OF BABY DIAPERS

Emphasizing that Gaziantep is an important producing province, especially in the production of baby diapers, Güzeldere said, “In our meetings with the factories there, we were informed that there was not much damage to the factories and that they will start producing from this week. With the influence of our producers in other provinces, other brands will also come into play, and I believe that there will be no shortage of products that are reflected in the public”, he said.

‘A FOOD STOCK WAS PREPARED DUE TO RAMADAN’

Güzeldere explained that in addition to products such as diapers and baby food, there was a need for ready-to-eat food products, since the kitchens to meet the food needs of earthquake victims could not be dried immediately, but that there was no problem. . in stock of these products.

Stating that this is due to the fact that retailers are preparing in stock of food products due to the proximity of Ramadan, Güzeldere said: “There will not be any problem in the supply from the new week.”