We’re four days into our journey towards the October 23rd Elections and already the rumors are flying. The negative effects of spreading rumors and passing on unverified information can not be overstated. One such rumor that is getting a lot of attention has to do with the closing of major supermarkets. Most of us are aware that large-scale looting took place during the revolution, therefore, it only makes sense that businesses are taking extra precaution and enacting additional security measures . Monorprix for example has clearly decided to improve the physical security of most of their locations, especially the ones that were looted during the revolution. 
In order to get some verifiable information we went on a little ‘supermarket tour’ and simply had a conversation with the store managers. In each case the managers emphasized that they are taking a ‘wait and see’ approach and monitoring the situation closely. That being said here’s what we were able to obtain:
Supermarket Closing Dates: (Tentative)
- Carrefour (main location): October 23rd
- Promogro (Sidi Daoud): October 22,23, 24, 25
- Monoprix (Carthage): October 20-25th
Food & Water-Prepardness
The American based Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), has a 16 page informative document entitled: Food and Water in an Emergency. Below are some of the many useful pointers within that can be found within the document.
- In terms of planning-Think in terms of 2-weeks.
- It is best to stock up on foods that require no refrigeration, water, special preparation, or cooking are best.
- Keep food in a dry, cool spot-a dark area if possible.
- Having ample supply of clean water is top priority in an emergency.
Tunisia Security Update
We will continue to monitor the situation on the ground and keep you updated with relevant, practical, and big picture analysis.