A supermarket worker has urged last-minute shoppers to remain calm after reports of squabbles over turkeys and limited parking spaces.
Julie Weatherson told panic buyers they should be ‘ashamed’ of themselves as they scrambled over each other to pick up last minute Christmas essentials.
‘Oh for god sake. I work in a supermarket and it’s ridiculous. We are shut for 24 hours people that is it??? Why do you feel the need to bulk buy?’ she told Hull Live.
Christmas chaos has broken out in supermarkets across the UK as last-minute shoppers squabble over the last turkey and limited parking spaces (shoppers in Grimsby Asda)
‘The amount of people we had shoving and pushing people with trolleys yesterday was embarrassing. Should be ashamed.’
Shoppers found themselves trapped in car parks due to high levels off traffic and then stuck on congested motorways.
Sophia Howard was stuck in Tesco’s car park in Chelmsford for an hour and questioned on Twitter why nobody was managing traffic flow.
An onlooker told how two elderly women came to blows over a turkey in Liverpool and had to be separated by staff, calling their spat ‘turkey rage’.
He described the events on his Twitter page, writing: ‘ ‘All kickin off in Sainsbury’s Rice Lane. Turkey rage. Nuts. Two old dears having a full on kick off over a turkey. Had to be separated by staff. Serene it ain’t.
‘One of them was about to use her walking stick as a weapon. Just hearing it continued in the car park. Merry Christmas, everyone.’
Further north of the country, Tom Clark told Hull Live: This is the worst part about Christmas – shopping and traffic.
‘I need a lie down after this, it’s done me in. I wouldn’t wish it on my own enemy, this.’
Cars queue outside a Sainsbury’s in Grimsby as one woman complained she was stuck in a Tesco car park in Chelsmford for an hour
People took to social media to lament the chaos that had broken out in stores
Meanwhile on Twitter, those who had braved the shops took to the social media platform to complain about the chaos that had erupted inside supermarkets nationwide.
Lucy Byrne, who was also feeling turkey rage, wrote: ‘Going Asda today was a regrettable choice. Proper turkey rage.’
While Zoe Harrison lamented the busy stores: ‘Just been to Sainsbury’s to get the rest of the Christmas food shop and I’ve actually never seen chaos like it. Chill out it’s only closed for one f***ing day.’
Brits who rushed to the shops in hope of bagging their Christmas treats just two days before the day, were met with empty shelves and people stocking piling their trolleys
Peter Monggomery also appeared confused as to why people stock pile food, writing: ‘Heading to the supermarket at this time of year, I’m never sure if people are shopping for Christmas lunch or the Armaggeddon.
Those heading out on Christmas Eve have been warned to expect severe significant delays in some areas.
In Surrey today, there were major problems on the M25 anti-clockwise following a crash involving a number of vehicles. Three lanes were closed at one point.
Half of UK motorists will take to main roads or motorways on Monday, according to AA research.
Those heading out on Christmas Eve have been warned to expect severe significant delays in some areas
Analysis by the RAC and traffic information supplier Inrix predicted that roads will be busiest between 11am and 1pm.
The worst road for long delays is expected to be the M1 northbound from Junction 21 (Coventry/Leicester) to Junction 26 (Nottingham/Ripley).
The M25, M5, M6 and M40 have also been identified as ‘likely to see significant delays’ over the festive period.
In addition to the threat of long queues, drivers are also being hit with Christmas getaway fuel costs at a five-year high.
UK forecourts are charging motorists an average of £1.21 per litre for petrol and £1.31 per litre for diesel, according to Government data.
The last time prices were this high in the run-up to Christmas was 2013.
Some of Network Rail’s 330 Christmas engineering projects have already begun, forcing a number of lines to be closed.
Airports are seeing a spike in demand in the build-up to Christmas.
Travel trade organisation Abta expects more than 4.7m people to head abroad from the UK between December 18 and January 2.