SUPERMARKETS have started rationing products including pasta, hand sanitiser and tinned veg amid the coronavirus crisis.
Tesco has limited customers to five each of items including long-life milk and antibacterial products as panic buying grips the nation.
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The rations came into force to ensure customers are able to buy what they need, with the change starting in stores yesterday and online today.
Waitrose confirmed there were no restrictions in place in-store but said a “temporary cap” had been put in place on certain products online including some anti-bacterial soaps and wipes “to ensure our customers have access to the products they need”.
They added: “We continue to work with suppliers to help meet demand.”
The number of coronavirus cases in the UK yesterday reached 273, with two dead.
Shoppers have been rushing to stockpile food, soap and face masks amid fears they could be quarantined at home for a fortnight if they catch the killer bug.
Others are worried supplies could run short if cities are placed in lockdown to limit the spread.
Ocado has also warned of “exceptionally high demand” for food delivery spots.
Many retailers, including Boots and Superdrug have limited the number of hand sanitisers to two per customer – here’s where you can still buy them.
What are shops rationing?
HERE’S what high street retailers’ are rationing so far.
- Aldi – Hand santisers, two per person, online and in stores
- Asda – Hand santisers, two per person, online and in stores
- Boots – Hand santisers, two per person, online and in stores
- Iceland – Hand sanitisers and some cleaning products, four per person, online
- Lidl – No limits
- Morrisons – N/A
- Ocado – No limits. Delays with deliveries
- Sainsbury’s – No limits
- Superdrug – Hand santisers, two per person
- Tesco – Five each of items including long-life milk and antibacterial products
- Waitrose – Anti-bacterial soaps and wipes, four per person, online
See which supermarkets are rationing stock due to coronavirus for more information.
Waitrose has put a cap on the number of cleaning products that a customer can order at one time.
And pictures have this week emerged of empty shelves in supermarkets where soap and toilet paper once was amid the shopping frenzy.
Supermarkets have also been struggling with increased demand from shoppers, with many noticing more home delivery orders and larger than usual online shopping baskets.
It’s estimated that hand sanitiser sales were up 255 per cent in February alone, according to research company Kantar.
Ministers are scrambling to stop shelves remaining empty, considering urgent measures to ease pressure on the supply chain.
Experts have already warned the killer virus could leave one in five people off work at its peak – which could result in massive home delivery orders.
And ministers have warned local councils to brace themselves for a coronavirus death toll of 100,000.
Whitehall officials have given the “central estimate” after medical experts are expected to recommend the government move into its second “delay” phase to tackle the deadly bug.
According to The Sunday Times, the figure was revised after an initial death toll of 500,000 was given if 80 per cent of the population was infected.
The Prime Minister is set to head an emergency cobra meeting on Monday which will discuss further precautions to halt the spread of the killer bug.
GLOBAL SPREAD
There are currently more than 106,000 cases of the bug globally, with more than 3,590 deaths.
In response to the crisis, Italy has put 16million people into lockdown in a desperate attempt to stop the spread of the bug.
Italy wasn’t the only country limiting activities as coronavirus spreads.
Around the world, events and festivals were called off. Travel restrictions and warnings were issued.
And in Australia, women were filmed brawling over the last toilet roll in a supermarket.
The Pope also cancelled his Vatican addresses and will hold services via live stream to stop people from gathering.
Meanwhile in China, seven people were killed when a hotel being used to quarantine coronavirus patients collapsed.
A number of people remain missing, with rescue workers desperately searching the rubble in the Chinese city of Quanzhou in Fujian Province on Saturday.
It is unclear just what caused the building collapse.
