Exclusive stores boast an abundance of fresh organic food – as long as you’re willing to pay it

Wealthy shoppers were offered an abundance of fresh organic produce today while customers at Sainsbury’s and Asda were confronted by empty shelves due to panic-buying amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Visitors to Harrods were able to choose between three types of tomatoes – including Juno cherry tomatoes selling at £40 per kg – up to 14 times their supermarket equivalent.

The upmarket London shop was doing a roaring trade but shoppers were able to pick up just about everything they could possibly want. 

At Whole Foods in High Street Kensington, west London, trade was brisk as shoppers ignored the hefty price tags.

No empty shelves at upmarket food stores during the coronavirus outbreak: Visitors to Harrods were able to choose between three types of tomatoes – including Juno cherry tomatoes selling at £40 per kg – up to 14 times their supermarket equivalent

At Whole Foods in High Street Kensington, west London, trade was brisk as shoppers ignored the hefty price tags

At Whole Foods in High Street Kensington, west London, trade was brisk as shoppers ignored the hefty price tags

Staple vegetables such as potatoes, carrots, onions and cabbage – which have vanished from the shelves of Sainsbury's and Asda – were on display at Harrods, but at vastly inflated prices

Staple vegetables such as potatoes, carrots, onions and cabbage – which have vanished from the shelves of Sainsbury’s and Asda – were on display at Harrods, but at vastly inflated prices

Savoy cabbage at Harrods were selling at a staggering £3 compared to 60p per item in Asda and 85 per at Sainsbury's

Savoy cabbage at Harrods were selling at a staggering £3 compared to 60p per item in Asda and 85 per at Sainsbury’s

Shoppers said they were prepared to pay higher prices for products. Above, the customers at Harrods food hall today

Shoppers said they were prepared to pay higher prices for products. Above, the customers at Harrods food hall today

However, prices at both shops were through the roof in comparison to Britain’s popular supermarkets.

Staple vegetables such as potatoes, carrots, onions and cabbage – which have vanished from the shelves of Sainsbury’s and Asda – were on display at Harrods, but at vastly inflated prices.

Savoy cabbage at the store were selling at a staggering £3 compared to 60p per item in Asda and 85p per item at Sainsbury’s.

Cyprus potatoes cost up £4 per kg  – eight times the price of Asda’s at 50p per kg and Sainsbury’s at 46p per kg.

Roscoff blush onions cost £10 for a 1kg bag compared to 70p per kg for Asda’s white onions and 80p per kg at Sainsbury’s.

More pricey produce on sale at Whole Foods in Kensington today - but there is clearly an appetite for items such as these sweet potatoes

More pricey produce on sale at Whole Foods in Kensington today – but there is clearly an appetite for items such as these sweet potatoes

In Whole Foods, cauliflowers cost £2.39 each, butternut squash cost £2.39 each, leeks were selling at £2.99 for three, Kholrabi and sprouting broccoli cost £1.98 each, with rainbow chard at £6 per kg

In Whole Foods, cauliflowers cost £2.39 each, butternut squash cost £2.39 each, leeks were selling at £2.99 for three, Kholrabi and sprouting broccoli cost £1.98 each, with rainbow chard at £6 per kg

A shopper wears a surgical mask at Harrods today while stocking up on food

A shopper wears a surgical mask at Harrods today while stocking up on food

Loose carrots were selling at a modest £1.50 per kg but still almost three times the price at Asda and Sainsbury’s, where they both cost 55p per kg.

However out-of-season Mediterranean vegetables such as aubergine, red pepper and tomatoes commanded the biggest price hikes.

Shoppers said they were prepared to pay higher prices for products.

I shop at Harvey Nichols because this is what my employer likes. They don’t care how much it costs. 

Maria, a housekeeper for a wealthy Arab family

Gabriella Newton, 29, from Notting Hill, told MailOnline: ‘I know stuff is expensive here in Whole Foods, but at least you can get what you want. I don’t mind paying extra as long as I can get what I need.’

Marcus Ford, 39, from South Kensington added: ‘Prices are a bit steep but to be honest I don’t want to be fighting over a packet of spaghetti so I don’t really mind.’

Workers at Wholefoods in Kensington said the increase in sales had been unprecedented.

One told MailOnline: ‘I have never seen anything like this. As soon as we put stock out, it sells. We are getting far more traffic than we would normally.

‘I can’t bear to look at the queue of customers waiting to pay, it’s neverending.’

Another said: ‘I don’t usually work on the shop floor, I’m not normally in the office, but I’ve come down to help get the stock out. We are selling much more than usual.’

Meanwhile, Harrods’ aubergines cost £6 per kg compared to £1.70 per kg at Asda and £2 per kg at Sainsbury’s.

Red peppers cost £2 each or £8 per kg compared to 43p each at Sainsbury’ and 50p each at Asda.

Harrods sold out of dried pasta within minutes of opening its doors at 11am this morning. (Above, the store today)

Harrods sold out of dried pasta within minutes of opening its doors at 11am this morning. (Above, the store today)

Marcus Ford, 39, from South Kensington added: 'Prices are a bit steep but to be honest I don't want to be fighting over a packet of spaghetti so I don't really mind'

Marcus Ford, 39, from South Kensington added: ‘Prices are a bit steep but to be honest I don’t want to be fighting over a packet of spaghetti so I don’t really mind’

Beef tomatoes cost £5 each, or £15 per kg, compared to 50p each at Asda and 85p each at Sainsbury’s.=

Juno cherry tomatoes cost a staggering £40 per kg compared to £2.16 per kg at Asda and £2.50 per kg at Sainsbury.

Next door in the bakery, small loaves of classic white and wholemeal bread were on sale for £3 each.

Shoppers wearing face masks and protective gloves packed the store’s food hall.

No one was complaining about the prices.

Workers at Wholefoods in Kensington said the increase in sales had been unprecedented. One told MailOnline: 'I have never seen anything like this. As soon as we put stock out, it sells. We are getting far more traffic than we would normally'

Workers at Wholefoods in Kensington said the increase in sales had been unprecedented. One told MailOnline: ‘I have never seen anything like this. As soon as we put stock out, it sells. We are getting far more traffic than we would normally’

Meanwhile... empty shelves at a Tesco Extra store in Worthing, West Sussex, today

Meanwhile… empty shelves at a Tesco Extra store in Worthing, West Sussex, today

However Harrods sold out of dried pasta within minutes of opening its doors at 11am this morning.

A staff member told MailOnline: ‘We’ve completely sold out of dried pasta. We had put what we had left on the shelves this morning. But it was sold out within minutes of opening this morning.’

The store had also sold out of eggs.

Customers were urged to buy fresh pasta – selling at £19.50 for artisan taglioni and fusilli and 65p per ravioli – and put it in the freezer.

Meanwhile pasta and other store cupboard goods were on sale up the road at Harvey Nichols’ department store.

The fifth-floor food hall was well stocked with the finest essentials including a 250g box of Cipriani tagliardi pasta at £6.45, a jar of Cirpriani Genovese pesto at £6.45, a 350g jar of organic tomato and basil pasta sauce at £5.95, a 112g tin of Ortiz Bonito tuna fish at £4.95 and a jar of Perello Gordal pitted olives at £2.95.

In the Harrods bakery, small loaves of classic white and wholemeal bread were on sale for £3 each

In the Harrods bakery, small loaves of classic white and wholemeal bread were on sale for £3 each

There was a huge supply of goods for shoppers at upmarket food store Whole Foods – but at a price – and there were plenty of fresh organic vegetables on display.

Cauliflowers cost £2.39 each, butternut squash selling for £2.39 each, leeks were selling at £2.99 got three, Kholrabi and sprouting broccoli cost £1.98 each, with rainbow chard at £6 per kg, rhubarb at 20 per kg, and sweet potato at £2.99 per kg.

Unlike most stores, dried pasta was available – costing an exorbitant £4.39 for 500g packet of Penne and £2.99 for 250g packet of linguine.

And eggs were also available but costing up to £2.70 per half dozen.

Designer ketchup was also in the shelves, selling for up to £3.69 a bottle.

One shopper at Harvey Nichols said she didn’t care how much things cost.

Maria, a housekeeper for a wealthy Arab family, explained: ‘I shop at Harvey Nichols because this is what my employer likes. They don’t care how much it costs.

‘They like all the nice products they sell there – like the small bottles of ketchup and Tabasco.

‘They like to use them once and then throw them away.’

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk