The Environment Secretary today ruled out enforcing social distancing measures in supermarkets, claiming it would be ‘counterproductive’, despite fears queues of shoppers are ‘undoubtedly adding to the spread of coronavirus’.
Panic-buyers formed queues outside supermarkets up and down the country from 6am this morning and stripped shelves bare by 9am, as retailers enforced strict rationing measures to deal with a surge in panic-buying.
Supermarkets could also draft in police officers to guard stores if London goes into lockdown, amid frenzied scenes which have scene panic-buyers fighting over goods.
Industry sources claim stockpiling could lead to ‘riots’ if further rationing measures are imposed, and have reportedly asked for police back-up to ensure workers are kept safe.
Boris Johnson has urged shoppers to be ‘responsible’ as they head out to buy essential items.
The PM said: ‘We’ve got good supply chains and farms, there’s no reason for shops to be empty.
‘Everyone understands why people are buying stuff – we’re being advised to stay at home if we have symptoms.
‘However, please be reasonable in your shopping and be considerate of other shoppers as you do it.
At a Sainsbury’s in Guildford, shoppers were ignoring pleas to allow senior citizens to shop in the first hour of opening, with one man banging his trolley on the door as elderly shoppers were inside.
Elderly shoppers were also faced with empty shelves at stores in Surrey and Kent by 9am today, and one pensioner said it was ‘bedlam’ as toilet roll sold out within 15 minutes at a Sainsbury’s in Ely, Cambridgeshire.
The Environment Secretary today insisted there was no shortage of food across the UK but claimed the problem instead was panic-buying.
George Eustice pleaded for an end to the chaos as told the Commons: ‘There isn’t a shortage of food, the challenge that we’ve had is getting food to shelves in time when people have been purchasing more.’
He also confirmed that retail staff would be considered ‘key workers’ – so that their children can still go to school even after many are closed down from tomorrow.
As supermarkets struggled with panic buying into a second week, on another day of major developments in the coronavirus outbreak:
- The Environment Secretary insisted there was ‘no food shortage’ as he urged people to stop panic-buying
- The British Retail Consortium suggested police officers could be drafted in to help patrol supermarkets
- Delivery drivers and retail workers were made key workers by the government
- Many supermarkets, including Morrisons, Waitrose and the Co-Op are hiring extra delivery drivers
- Britain’s coronavirus death toll rose to 137 as Scotland’s individual fatality toll doubled overnight
Kent, before 9am: Heartbreaking images taken this morning so a shopper struggling to get anything on her list at a Tesco superstore in Kent – before 9am
Wandsworth: Empty shelves in a Tesco Local in Wandsworth, London with no fresh fruit or vegetables this morning
An outraged social media user shared this image from Facebook, though it is unclear when and where it was taken. It appears to show a paramedic stuck in the middle of empty aisles, with the caption: ‘Most of us who work for the NHS can’t shop at normal times and then are left with this when stockpilers take it all. What kind of community is this?’
Northwich, 8am: A shopper got the last pack of toilet rolls at Sainsbury’s in Northwich today. A queue of approximately 600 pensioners formed before the market opened at 7am as the shop opened specially for the elderly
Watford, 8am: People queuing outside a Costco store in Watford, north west London this morning
Nottingham, 7am: Customers queue to pay for their shopping in an ASDA supermarket in West Bridgford, Nottingham
Shoppers could only look at the empty shelves in despair at the Sainsbury’s supermarket in Richmond, Surrey
Andrew Opie, from the British Retail Consortium, said: ‘Retailers across the country are working closely with police and other partners to keep retail sites running as smoothly as possible.
‘Even when circumstances are difficult, retailers are well-versed in providing effective security measures. It is essential that customers are considerate of the millions of shopworkers who are working incredibly hard to get shelves restocked.
‘Any forms of abusive or violent behaviour will not be tolerated and retailers will continue to work with the police to protect their staff and customers.’
‘It is vital that police forces prioritise the safety of those who are working to meet the needs of an entire country. Anyone found to be abusing staff or customers should be met with the full force of the law.’
And an industry source told The Telegraph: ‘There is real concern over the safety of shop workers, especially if they are forced to ration items to customers.
‘There have already been some unpleasant incidents around the country, but nobody wants to see matters escalate into a situation where there are riots and general civil disobedience.’
While there have been some unpleasant incidents around the UK footage emerged of customers at an Asda branch in Croydon, who had to be pulled apart by staff members after they started to fight over toilet roll.
Two women started to fight over the products – which have been in short supply in the UK. A cashier had to intervene in order to stop them.
Despite disorder like this being seen in supermarkets a spokesman for Number 10 said: ‘Maintenance of public order is the responsibility of the police, and there are no plans to use military personnel for public order during the coronavirus pandemic.’
A spokesman for the National Police Chiefs Council said no national decision had yet been made on providing staffing at supermarkets.
Mr Eustice argued the enforcement of social distancing in supermarkets would result in people being ‘huddled together’ outside.
He also allayed fears that vulnerable members of the public who are self-isolating would be left without essential goods and suggested seasonal workers could be hired on farms in the absence of workers unable to travel from other countries.
Supermarkets in the UK have yet to clarify how they intend to enforce rationing, with shoppers hoping it will become clearer in the next few days.
In Australia, Prime Minister Scott Morrison warned panic-buyers could face stringent measures, including police brought in to monitor shops as experts suggested using WWII-style rationing cards. One Australia chain, IGA Broadford, said it will only serve customers who can prove they live locally.
This comes amid a spike in coronavirus cases across the country, with 137 deaths.
Panic-buying Brits spent an extra £60 million on stockpiling in the first week of March alone – including an additional £17 million on toilet roll alone, almost twice as much as the same week a year earlier.
The data, from industry analysts Nielsen Scantrack for trade ‘bible’ The Grocer shows spending on the 12 most popular stockpiling products rose to £124 million in the week ending March 7, up from £66 million for the same products 12 months earlier.
Sales of children’s medicines rose 124 per cent year on year to £2.5 million and sales of toilet rolls spiked from £20 million to £37.6 million.
Waitrose, which is part of John Lewis Partnership, has announced a three-item limit on certain products and a limit of two packets of toilet roll.
The retail group said it is also launching a protected shopping period for the elderly and vulnerable at Waitrose, which will be each store’s first opening hour from Friday.
Waitrose cafes and rotisseries will be temporarily shut to help stores cope with increased demand in other areas.
Meanwhile, value retailer B&M said sales of Pot Noodle have surged 610% and pasta sales have risen 828% over the past week as shoppers continue to stockpile ambient and dried food.
It also reported a 301% increase in toilet roll sales and 1200% increase in sales of hand wash.
Speaking at Environment, Food and Rural Affairs questions, Mr Eustice said: ‘There isn’t a shortage of food; the challenge that we’ve had is getting food to shelves in time when people have been purchasing more.
‘That’s why we have taken steps including setting aside delivery curfews so that lorries can run around the clock, relaxing driver hours to ensure the deliveries can take place more frequently and we are in discussions with other Government colleagues in MHCLG around other support that we would deliver locally to get food to those who are self isolating.’
Clapham Junction: Early morning shoppers at an Asda superstore in Clapham Junction, south west London today
Mere hours after the store had opened in Clapham, it was cleared of most goods and fresh produce
He added he was in ‘daily’ talks about food banks and helping families in food poverty, who are now facing an ‘immediate emergency.’
He said: ‘We are also, in Government, working on specific proposals to help the most vulnerable, those with clinical problems, to ensure that we can get food to them, should they be self-isolating.’
Shadow local government minister Jim McMahon said supermarket workers had ‘shown themselves to be the heroes of retail, making sure that people get fed and get the food that they need’, and urged MPs to ensure retail staff were on a list of key workers so they could continue to work if they have children of school age.
Mr Eustice added: ‘Later today, the Government will be announcing those jobs defined as key workers.
‘But I can assure him we fully recognise that over 25% of staff generally working in the food supply chain have children of school age, that’s recognised and something that will be reflected when that list is published.’
But Labour’s Bill Esterson (Sefton Central) warned: ‘Supermarket queues are undoubtedly adding to the spread of the coronavirus, not least because of a lack of social distancing.’
He also accused ministers of lacking urgency in their response, adding: ‘People need to see a much greater sense of urgency.
‘This needs to be tackled to prevent the spread within supermarkets.
‘Will he today, with Cabinet colleagues, implement and enforce social distancing in supermarkets to reduce the spread in that part of society?’
Mr Eustice replied in the Commons: ‘We will not do that measure.
‘It was something that was done in Italy, with a restriction on the number of people in stores and what they found was they just had hundreds of people huddled together at the entrance to the store and it’s counterproductive.’
Retailers have also stressed there is plenty of food in the supply chain but shoppers need to act responsibly to ensure everyone can get what they need, particularly the most vulnerable who may find regular shopping difficult.
No shortage here! Downing Street receives delivery of HUNDREDS of toilet rolls as shoppers scramble to find some across the country
Toilet rolls and kitchen rolls are delivered to Downing Street in London
A lorry was seen delivery a haul of toilet rolls to Downing Street today, as panicked shoppers up and down the country struggled to find any in supermarkets.
The HGV dropped off the crate of toilet rolls and paper towels shortly after the Environment Secretary told the Commons the problem ‘was not supply but people purchasing more.’
Speaking at Environment, Food and Rural Affairs questions, Mr Eustice said: ‘There isn’t a shortage of food; the challenge that we’ve had is getting food to shelves in time when people have been purchasing more.’
Writing in the Daily Mail this week, former home secretary David Blunkett voiced concerns over the elderly who were stuck in isolation and unable to obtain vital supplied.
He wrote: ‘Just as people have begun to stockpile toilet rolls for no reason, an irrational notion could spread among the public that older people are being ordered to stay inside not for their own protection but because they present some imaginary risk to younger people.’
North Sheen, 8am: ‘Silver hour’ at a Sainsbury’s in North Sheen in Richmond, London this morning
Shoppers queuing outside a Sainsbury’s in Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, which was hosting an elderly-only hour this morning
A Sainsbury’s in London also saw large queues of people outside this morning as supermarkets took measures to ration certain products
Older shoppers walked past empty shelves that had stocked toilet roll at a Sainsbury’s in Norwich today
Conservative former environment secretary Theresa Villiers said: ‘Getting home deliveries to potentially millions of self-isolating households is a massive logistical exercise.
‘Is it time for the Government to think about further intervention but also, I’m afraid, the suspension of competition law rules so retailers and haulage companies can work together to meet this huge national challenge?’
Mr Eustice responded: ‘(Ms Villiers) make a very important point and that’s why, earlier this week, we had a detailed workshop with both retailers and food processors to identify what they would like to do and what changes to competition law we would need to consider and implement, and we are working on that right now.’
On the availability of seasonal workers to assist farming, Mr Eustice said: ‘If there is disruption to people visiting the UK as a result of restrictions put in place or general concern in other countries, that may have an impact on the number of seasonal workers coming here from countries such as Bulgaria.
‘We’re working with industry and the National Farmers’ Union to assess this, and we’ll be working on proposals to address this before May and June, which is when it’s likely to present itself as an issue.’
On the availability of seasonal workers to assist farming, Mr Eustice said: ‘If there is disruption to people visiting the UK as a result of restrictions put in place or general concern in other countries, that may have an impact on the number of seasonal workers coming here from countries such as Bulgaria.
‘We’re working with industry and the National Farmers’ Union to assess this, and we’ll be working on proposals to address this before May and June, which is when it’s likely to present itself as an issue.’
As items such as fresh produce continue to be purchased as soon as they hit the shelves, one toilet roll today had to be cordoned off at a Tesco store in Bury St Edmunds.
Shocking footage showed shop assistants closing off the area the toilet roll would usually be on, while people peered over the barriers to try and see what was available.
One witness said old people shopping in the store ‘looked lost’ as many continued to purchase more than they needed to.
It was claimed that some people were sending their children through the check outs with items in order to stock up on more.
People were seen waiting behind a cordon in a Tesco in Bury St Edmunds (left) as they wait to be handed packs of toilet roll (right)
Richmond Sainsbury’s has been stripped off ready meals, meat and fresh produce already today
A Tesco Extra in Mansfield at 3.30am this morning, as supermarkets struggled to keep up with the dramatic increase in demand
Sainsbury’s Fulham saw a queue at 8:30am after the allocated time for elderly and vulnerable shoppers had finished
huge queue forms stretching around the car park at 7am this morning as people line up waiting for the Sainsbury supermarket in Newcastle’s east end to open
People queue to shop at Sainsbury’s supermarket in Leamington Spa, Warwickshire
Britain’s biggest online-only supermarket, Ocado, has stopped new customers from signing up as the business is overwhelmed by orders from people staying indoors to avoid the coronavirus pandemic
The majority of Britain’s worst-hit areas are all boroughs of London but Hampshire is the local authority with the most cases
Tesco and Sainsbury’s are limiting customers to only buying three or any grocery item, while Asda and Morrisons are restricting purchases across 1,250 regularly-bought lines.
Britain’s biggest online-only supermarket, Ocado, has stopped new customers from signing up as the business is overwhelmed by orders from people staying indoors to avoid the coronavirus pandemic.
Meanwhile, several supermarkets have introduced shopping hours exclusively for the elderly at the start of the day.
The biggest chains were dramatically stepping up rationing measures yesterday amid the stockpiling as millions prepare for weeks of home quarantine.
The demand has also led to angry scenes as people battled over household essentials.
Queues of traffic built up on the approach to the Sainsbury’s store near Guildford in Surrey, filling the car park before it had even opened.
Staff opened the doors at 6.35am instead of 7am, with one man banging his trolley into the front door.
And there were traffic jams around Sainsbury’s in Ely as the store set aside the first hour of shopping for elderly and vulnerable customers – with an ambulance on standby in the car park. One pensioner said it was ‘bedlam’ as toilet roll sold out within 15 minutes.
The shopworkers’ union Usdaw has appealed to people not to intimidate staff at supermarkets and other stores during the current crisis.
Companies have tried to reassure people that enough stock is being delivered every night, urging everyone to shop normally rather than panic buy.
But the appeals have failed to stop people turning up at supermarkets before they even open, or to prevent them buying more than they need.
There have also been reports of shoppers pushing two trolleys around supermarkets.
Stores are imposing strict limits on the purchase of essentials from baby formula and nappies to paracetamol, hand sanitisers, cleaning products, tinned food, long life milk, pasta and toilet rolls.
And, yesterday, the country’s biggest supermarkets, Tesco, Asda and Sainsbury’s, went much further with new limits of three items across all food and grocery products.
It came as Ocado last night shut down its website and app after being swamped with orders.
Customers will not be able to book a new delivery or edit existing orders until Saturday, at the earliest.
Supermarkets have held emergency talks with police forces to ensure urgent help amid concerns that aggressive shoppers have left staff in tears and fearing for their safety.
The incidents raise worries the country could see the emergence of food riots that were controversially predicted at the beginning of the crisis.
Waitrose has set a maximum cap of between two and 12 items across as many as 400 products.
And Morrisons, which has seen a 15 per cent rise in sales in the past two weeks, is putting a cap on purchases across 1,200 products.
These include a limit of four per customer for packs of baby milk formula.
Similar restrictions are being imposed by other retailers. Aldi is not allowing people to buy more than four of any product line.
Restrictions are also being applied to online orders amid a surge in demand for home deliveries.
The rush to buy provisions online means some firms do not have delivery slots available for up to six weeks.
The British Retail Consortium said stores were talking to the police about how to cope with any violence.
Its director of food and sustainability, Andrew Opie, said: ‘Retailers are well versed in providing effective security measures. We will continue to work with police to protect customers and employees.’
The extension of rationing is part of a much wider effort by the supermarkets to ensure they maintain the nation’s food supplies.
For example, Tesco and Asda are ending 24 hour opening at hundreds of outlets to allow staff time to re-stock shelves through the night.
And some, such as Iceland, are setting aside one hour at the beginning of the day for older customers, who fear contamination, to shop in peace without any pushing and shoving.
M&S has also announced that it will be opening its stores at specific times just for NHS and emergency services personnel.
The Co-op, meanwhile, is to create 5,000 store-based posts which will provide temporary employment for hospitality workers who have lost their jobs because of the coronavirus crisis.
The retail giant said it is simplifying its recruitment process so successful candidates can start work within days.
Permanent jobs will also be on offer at the Co-op’s 2,600 stores across the country.
Jo Whitfield, chief executive of Co-op Food, said: ‘The Co-op has a critical role to play in supporting our members, customers and colleagues, as well as the local communities that our stores sit at the heart of.
‘Whilst our store and depot colleagues are working around the clock to ensure people have the essentials they need, we are all too aware that many people working in bars, pubs and restaurants are currently out of work.
‘It makes perfect sense for us to try and temporarily absorb part of this highly skilled and talented workforce who are so adept at delivering great customer service, as we work together to feed the nation.
‘We’re talking to a large number of organisations whose workforces have been affected by this situation.
‘To anyone in this position who is looking for a job in one of our stores, our message is simple – please get in touch now. We’ve made the application process quicker than ever and hope to have new colleagues on the ground within a day or two.
‘What we need now is genuine, tangible co-operation as we look to support the wider economy and help the nation overcome this challenging period.’
The Co-op added that staff in business support roles who are not currently working in stores or distribution centres are being encouraged to ‘lend-a-hand’ in their local branches to help replenish shelves.
Earlier this week the Co-op also announced measures to combat holiday hunger in pupils caused by unplanned school closures.
Around 6,500 students across 25 Co-op Academy Schools who currently have free school meals will be given a £20 voucher for every week that schools remain shut.
Shoppers queued around the car park as they waited to get inside Costco in Watford today
Items that are now selling out, and subsequently being rations, at supermarkets up and down the country, include long-life milk, cleaning fluids, toilet rolls and pasta
Customers queue to pay for their shopping today in an Asda supermarket in West Bridgford, Nottingham
Elderly people wait for a Sainsbury’s supermarket in Hertford to open to stock up on essentials today
Older customers queue outside a Sainsbury’s in Leamington Spa today for a so-called ‘silver hour’
The proportion of Britons who admit to hoarding essentials has risen from one in ten to one in four over the past two weeks.
Sainsbury’s chief executive Mike Coupe, said: ‘We have enough food coming into the system, but are limiting sales so that it stays on shelves for longer and can be bought by a larger numbers of customers.’
In other safety measures, supermarkets are asking customers to stop using cash, which can carry the virus, and pay by card or smartphone to protect staff at the tills.
There was a queue of hundreds of shoppers outside a Sainsbury’s this morning in Norwich, Cheshire
In other safety measures, supermarkets are asking customers to stop using cash, which can carry the virus. Pictured are queues outside Sainsbury’s in Leamington Spa
Retailers have stressed there is plenty of food but shoppers need to act responsibly to ensure everyone can get what they need. Pictured are shoppers outside a London Sainsbury’s today
Queues outside an Asda supermarket in Cardiff as people got up early to stock up on essentials