Customers are advised not to panic buy ahead of the arrival of Storm Éowyn.
Retail Excellence Ireland said while the storm will be severe, it will be shortlived, and shops will be back open as soon as the storm has passed.
"It is short, and by midday on Friday, it will have have passed over most of the country passing through the North by 2pm," said Jean McCabe, CEO of REI, "so the window is quite small, and if you're going to run out of milk, the stores will be back open when it is safe to do so after that red warning is finished.'
She said retailers need to prioritise the safety of their staff, and will open stores when it is safe for workers to come to work.
Meanwhile, HR professional body CIPD has said workplaces must ensure they are prepared for the impact of Storm Eowyn.
It is only a few weeks since large parts of the country were hit with icy conditions which also prompted major disruption, and with all of the country facing red warnings at some stage during Storm Éowyn, Director Mary Connaughton said employers in red warning areas should facilitate remote working for all employees who can do so tomorrow.
The fact that Storm Éowyn is arriving on a Friday means the worst disruption will have been resolved over the weekend, but she said it is important employers are prepared nonetheless.
"At this stage workplaces really need to ensure they have an appropriate communication and remote working system that can be readily activated," Ms Connaughton said. "This should include clarity around what happens to payroll arrangements if people can't work.
"If provisions are in place for people to take leave during this kind of disruption, these should also be clearly set out."
She said any arrangements should also be agile enough to support workers with caring or parenting responsibilities, for example if schools and creches are also closed.
"Taking the time to prepare this plan now will make it easier to cope with future disruption."
Meanwhile, employers are being encouraged to facilitate remote working, where possible, during the red weather warnings.
There is no legal requirement for employees to receive payment where they cannot attend work due to adverse weather conditions, according to Caroline Reidy, HR Expert with the HR Suite.
"However, employees are entitled to payment if the organisation makes the decision to advise the employee to not attend work, or makes the decision to close the business for a period," Ms Reidy said.
"When addressing attendance issues because of adverse weather conditions, it is important that the organisation has a consistent approach and fairly evaluate as to whether it is reasonable to have expected the employee to attend work."
She said that all organisations should have a policy in place on adverse weather conditions and ensure that it is circulated to employees to advise them of their obligations and the obligations of the organisation during such conditions.
"The safety of the employees should always be the priority and it should be established who will be responsible for making the decision on whether the organisation will remain open as normal, restrict opening hours or close for a period," Ms Reidy added.
