Major supermarket giants such as Tesco and Asda have started rationing certain products amid panic-buying as the general public stock up due to coronavirus fears.
It has been revealed that limits are in place on the sale of products such as pasta, anti bacterial hand gel, long life milk, baked beans and Calpol amongst others.
Tesco has now also confirmed that people will limited to only five of any of these items mentioned. The restrictions were put in place yesterday (7 March) and it is now also applicable online.
Messages such as: “You have reached the maximum quantity of 5 for this item” display when attempting to purchase over the said amount.
Other items such as own-brand pasta gets a message saying: “sorry, this product is not available message” appearing when you try to purchase.
Many Harrow residents have been complaining about the lack of toilet paper and hand washing materials available in local shops. Some members of the Harrow Online Group have commented on the panic-buying, one member encouraging people to buy from local businesses said:
“If anyone is low (and please, just take one pack for your house and for what you actually need!!) South Harrow has toilet rolls in every shop, anti-bac spray, wipes.. all the little independent shops have really good amounts in.
“We have just got home and have everything we need for the next couple of days. Support your smaller local shops, they have done us really well today”
Another person said: “Why is everyone in Harrow stockpiling and panic buying there is only 1 case of the virus in Harrow. Leave food, toilet roll, handwash for the rest of us I actually needed handwash today and I had to buy it from the chemist, as everywhere else was sold out.
“It is a joke you would of thought we was about to go into war the way people are reacting get a grip.”
Another person also commented on the situation saying: “More reports of empty supermarket shelves this morning. There are elderly people who struggle to get to the shops, and can’t buy their weekly provisions, because stupid greedy people who are completely ignorant are buying everything up.
“This kind of stupidity and selfishness could be more dangerous than the virus itself. Enough with the mass hysteria! Educate yourselves and think of others! You know who you are.”
The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the UK rose to 211 this morning after two further cases have now been reported in Wales.
Health secretary Matt Hancock has said: “Tackling coronavirus is a national effort and they have set a good example for the rest of the public as more people may need to self-isolate themselves at home.
“Public safety is our top priority and we all have a part to play in containing the spread of the virus.”
