This graph from the Retail Association of Nevada shows answers to the following question: "On a scale of 1 to 9, how difficult has it been to find the products you need at local stores, with 1 being not difficult and 9 being very difficult?"
CARSON CITY, Nev. — A new survey from the Retail Association of Nevada found that a majority of Nevadans are “very concerned” about the COVID-19 pandemic and its potential impacts on shopping habits and the economy.
On Wednesday morning, the member-driven nonprofit association released results of the statewide survey conducted Monday, March 23, that measures consumer opinion and buying behaviors.
The survey — which polled 385 Nevadans who reported being employed either full time (74%) or part time (26%) as of March 1 — found that 59% of respondents rated their level of concern as a 9 out of 9, while 5% rated it as a 1 out of 9.
When asked, “What is your opinion of how President Trump has handled the coronavirus outbreak?”, 50% said either “very well” or “well,” while 41% said “poorly” or “very poorly.”
When asked the same question about Nevada Gov. Sisolak's handling of the issue, 64% said “very well” or “well,” while 18% said “poorly” or “very poorly.”
Further, 69% of Nevadans feel local retailers have handled the outbreak “very well” or “well,” while 9 percent said “poorly” or “very poorly.”
“While Nevadans are very concerned of COVID-19, they are generally supportive of how it has been handled to date, giving high marks to the local retailers who have worked tirelessly to keep grocery stores open and as many products available as possible,” Bryan Wachter, Senior Vice President of Government and Public Affairs of the association, said in a statement. “We are beginning to see the financial impacts of COVID-19 and many Nevadans expect to earn less money and need to spend more over the coming weeks.”
The nonscientific survey, which has a 5% margin of error, reports only statewide numbers, Wachter said during a Wednesday morning call with reporters, meaning it's unclear how many of those polled live in Southern Nevada vs. Northern Nevada, and/or in rural vs. urban counties.
The largest age group surveyed was 65-plus (40%), followed by 55-64 (29%) and 45-54 (17%). In terms of party affiliation, 38% were Republican, while 35% were Democrat (18% and 9% were nonpartisan or "other," respectively).
When asked, "Has your average cost for a week's groceries increased since the coronavirus outbreak?", 38% responded "About the same," while 49% responded that it's increased by as much as $100.
That said, according to the survey, 91% of Nevadans agree that if everyone only purchases what they need, there will be enough for everyone.
“After a frantic couple of weeks, we're beginning to see some normalcy return to our grocery retailers as the supply chain has caught up and shelves are beginning to be refilled,” Wachter said. “We urge Nevadans to continue to be patient and flexible, and as products become available again, please buy only what you need so we can make sure there is product available for at-risk populations as well as those reliant on delivery services due to quarantines.”
The full survey results are available at RANNV.org.
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