A major winter storm is causing panic buying at grocery stores across the country
FOX Weather Correspondent Ian Oliver discusses the details of a major winter storm that brought sub-zero temperatures, heavy snow and significant snow to many regions in a ‘Special Report.’
Grocery store shelves across the country are being cleared as Americans prepare for a major winter storm that is expected to affect large parts of the US this weekend.
From Texas to Mississippi to Washington, DC, shoppers faced empty shelves as severe winter weather threatened more than 200 million people in 40 states. Photos and videos shared widely show basic items disappearing as shoppers rush to shop ahead of the storm.
Video from a grocery store in Oxford, Mississippi, shows several aisles cleared, with milk and bottled water nearly empty. Other staples, including eggs, sausage and hot dogs, also appeared to be in short supply as shoppers rushed to prepare, FOX Weather reported.
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Empty grocery store bread shelves on Jan. 23, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Al Drago/Getty Images)
Similar scenes are underway in North Texas, where customers are clearing aisles at local supermarkets. Photos from the Kroger in North Richland Hills show empty shelves in some categories, according to FOX 4 News Dallas-Fort Worth.
The most common items include ground beef, vegetables, eggs, milk and canned goods.
One Texas shopper said she had already visited six stores as she tried to prepare for the approaching winter storm, according to FOX 4.
“I’m just looking for bread to get me through the weekend,” Lauryn Martin told FOX 4. “This is my 6th store I’ve been to today. I started last night, but the shelves are empty.”
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Shelves are partially stocked in the dairy section of a grocery store on Jan. 23, 2026 in Shawnee, Kansas. (Chase Castor/Getty Images)
Kroger’s director of communications, John Votava, said the stores are seeing a significant increase in customers.
“We’re busy, we’re seeing an influx of customers, above average, we’re working hard to keep up with that demand,” Votava told FOX 4. “We have a lot of groceries from the Keller distribution center in all 107 stores in North Texas.”
The apparent rush to grocery stores comes as one of the strongest winter storms in years bears down on the country.
The storm, which began Friday and will continue through Monday, is expected to stretch more than 2,000 miles and could bury some counties under more than a foot of snow.
Freezing rain and snow could disrupt travel and knock out power for thousands, according to FOX Weather.
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Near empty pasta shelves are seen as residents stock up before an expected cold snap in the Washington, DC area, on Jan. 23, 2026. (Brendan SMIALOWSKI / AFP via Getty Images)
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The phenomenon known as “panic buying” is not new. During the COVID-19 outbreak, items like toilet paper and paper towels flew off the shelves, prompting officials to urge Americans to stock up.
“Typically, emergency purchases of necessities arise from the perceived threat of resource shortages, of not being able to get essential items,” Amanda Spray, a psychologist and director of the Cohen Military Family Center at NYU Langone Health, told Fox News at the time. “In a crisis, it is human nature to want to prepare ourselves to have enough needs to be ready to feed and take care of our families.”
