PETALING JAYA, Jan 4 — Several sundry shops and mini markets in the Klang Valley have experienced an increase in demand for essential items in recent days due to many customers purchasing provisions to donate to flood victims.

The most sought after items include mineral water, canned food, rice, candles and tinned biscuits.

Agnes Ng, 30, a sundry shop owner in Old Town Petaling Jaya, said customers bought all the biscuits in her shop to give away as donations in a shopping spree last week.

“Many of them came to buy in bulk and depleted our initial stock. We had to restock and now we are able to sell again but certain types of biscuits remain limited,” she said.

She said she would be putting in more orders in anticipation of higher demand for the Chinese New Year holidays.

Another shop owner, who only wanted to be known as Gan, 38, also experienced a spike in demand but it did not affect his stock.

“Rice, tinned biscuits, matches and diapers were bought in bulk by many customers. Some also purchased medicated oils and Panadol from us,” he said.

A grocer, who only wanted to be known as Chook, 60, said the highest selling item in her shop was mineral water.

“Many also bought canned food such as sardines, instant noodles, rice and sugar,” she said.

“Several spent between RM300 and RM400 in one purchase. Others with bigger budgets forked out up to RM600.”

Chook said her stocks were unaffected as she usually replenished whenever was running out.

“Although there has been a marked increase in purchases in the last week, I expect it will slow down as the floods recede in the east coast,” she said.

The Mydin stores in Sinar Kota and Semenyih have run out of candles and blankets. Mydin’s central region manager, Ganesh Chinniah, said although some branches may be out of stock, the products were still available at the store’s hypermarket in Subang Jaya.

“Many customers have been buying in bulk to help the flood victims. We advise them to visit our hypermarket, which is readily stocked,” he said.

“We can also arrange a lorry for donors to transport aid to certain locations in the Klang Valley if they are unable to come to our hypermarket.”