Walmart CEO asks Americans to shop only once a week amid shortages of essentials like toilet paper and hand sanitizer

NBC News TODAY

Walmart CEO Doug McMillon addressed inventory in stores amid the coronavirus pandemic.

• Walmart CEO Doug McMillon said Friday that shopping once per week could help address shortages in stores.
• "There's plenty of flow coming, but if everyone could just kind of manage and buy week-to-week rather than stocking up at this point, it would be helpful for everybody," he told NBC News TODAY.
• McMillion said that Walmart has also hired an additional 100,000 workers since March 19.
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Walmart CEO Doug McMillon said Friday that customers should shop once per week instead of stocking up for weeks on end to help avoid shortages in stores.

He said the company's supply chain is healthy and merchandise continues to flow into stores, but demand remains high for items like hand sanitizer and paper goods amid the coronavirus pandemic.

"There's plenty of flow coming, but if everyone could just kind of manage and buy week-to-week rather than stocking up at this point, it would be helpful for everybody," he told NBC News TODAY.

He said food inventory is "recovering and in good shape."

"Hand sanitizer has been a little harder to come by," he said. "Our associates have it and we're working to put it on the shelf but as soon as we do, it's gone. Paper goods are continuing to sell out quickly. In the last five days we've sold enough toilet paper for every American to have their own roll just in five days."

While demand for cleaning products and toilet paper hasn't waned, there is growing shopper interest in other categories such as puzzles, games, and grooming products.

"People are starting to need a haircut so you start to see more beard trimmers and hair color and things like that," he said. "It's interesting to watch the dynamic play out."

McMillon also provided an update on Walmart's hiring efforts, saying the company - which has about 1.4 million employees - has hired an additional 100,000 workers since March 19.

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