Journal of Critical Infrastructure Policy
Figure 7 . Sales in Grocery Stores for Six Nations ( IRI and Boston Consulting Group )
The “ motivating force ” ( a la Newton ) for this dramatic reaction was increased consumer spending ( see chart above ). Over the last three decades grocery networks in the United States ( and many other places ) have developed large-scale processes and tools that facilitate just-in-time fulfillment of consumer demand . Effective response to demand is the principal survival technique in this highly competitive industry . In March 2020 and since , despite very real human and financial costs , the grocery supply chain in the United States “ altered motion ever proportional to the motivating force applied .”
The grocery supply chain is organized and habituated to effective proportional response — and early in the pandemic this network responded accordingly . Post-Cascadia it is absolutely in interest of all survivors that this motivating force be maximized .
During the pandemic , grocery networks have also endeavored to manage demand . Some of the practices 37 deployed include :
• Limiting quantities of certain products purchased per customer per visit ,
• Reducing hours of service , allowing for restocking , cleaning , and reducing marginal pull ,
• Restricting the number of simultaneous customers in any enclosed space , mostly to support social distancing , but this can also contribute to reducing marginal pull on supply .
In a Cascadia seismic event consumer demand for groceries will surge . Similar to the pandemic , it will be a sudden onset surge . But in contrast to the pan-
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