GREENFIELD — Grocery delivery services are struggling to keep up with unusually high demand as a result of widespread concern over COVID-19.
At the two grocery stores in Greenfield that have delivery services — Big Y and Stop & Shop — delivery calendars have been especially strained. Foster’s Supermarket, a smaller, locally-owned company in Greenfield, does not have delivery.
“We’ve seen an unprecedented demand for our online shopping services,” said Stop & Shop Public Relations Manager Maura O’Brien. “It has put a strain on the Peapod delivery service.”
Keeping popular items in stock has become difficult, and the Peapod delivery service itself does not have enough drivers or trucks to fully meet the demand of the coronavirus pandemic, O’Brien explained.
In fact, as of Tuesday, the Peapod website now reads that, “as a result of unprecedented demand as well as product shortages in some areas, we have suspended our online pickup service until further notice. Our store associates will instead focus on stocking product and other key priorities that will better meet the needs of all customers at this time.”
Big Y uses a third-party delivery company called Instacart, which advertises same-day grocery delivery. As of Tuesday morning, no times were available for delivery from the Greenfield store.
Instacart’s customer service phone line on a recent morning had an estimated wait time of 69 minutes.
Foster’s has considered adding limited delivery services, said co-owner Matthew Deane, but would be unable to staff such a service if traffic in the store stays at its recent levels.
“It’s nothing we’re set up to do at the moment,” Deane said. “The staff we have is wide open right now trying to keep items on the shelves.”
Reach Max Marcus at mmarcus@recorder.com or 413-930-4231.