LA HABRA

Stores reported only small increases in sales throughout the past week, confirming city officials’ prediction that local merchants wouldn’t experience a drain on inventory as Jan. 1 approaches.

The Vons supermarket on Imperial Highway experienced “only a little” increase in water sales during the past 48 hours, said Jeff Han, the store’s assistant manager.

Don Lawson, a manager at True Value Hardware, said customers are buying more batteries and lamp oil, but the store has seen only a 50% increase in sales. That may be due to the city’s efforts to encourage residents to keep emergency kits on hand.

“We’ve been here for 15 years, and we’ve been educating residents to constantly update their emergency kits,” said Mike Lee, the city’s emergency services coordinator.

Those kits should include food, water, items for personal hygiene, and medicine, Lee said.