March 9, 2020 4.44 pm This story is over 47 months old

Supermarkets rationing as Lincolnshire stockpiles for coronavirus outbreak

Have you been stockpiling?

Supermarkets in Lincolnshire have started rationing supplies as people in the county continue to stockpile over fears of coronavirus spreading.

The government advice is not to panic buy, as supplies of food and essentials would be maintained in supermarkets, but it appears the advice fell on deaf ears.

Shoppers have been seen with large amounts of items including hand sanitiser, toilet roll and other essentials, leaving supermarkets with no choice but to put restrictions in place.

In Lincoln we have received photos of empty shelves at Waitrose, ASDA and Morrisons.

It is understood that a government spokesperson is in touch with UK supermarkets to discuss their response to the virus.

According to the BBC, the following restrictions are in place:

  • Tesco is limiting shoppers to buying no more than five of certain goods, including antibacterial gels, wipes and sprays, dry pasta, UHT milk and some tinned vegetables. The rules apply in stores and online
  • Waitrose has introduced a temporary cap on some items on its website, including some anti-bacterial soaps and wipes. Some individual stores may have introduced their own restrictions with branch managers making a judgement at a localised level

Asda in North Hykeham. Photo: Chelsie-Ann S

  • High Street chemist Boots has restricted sales of hand sanitisers to two per person
  • ASDA is restricting some types of hand sanitiser to two bottles per person, but it is understood to be the supermarket’s only restriction currently in place

Hand sanitiser was limited to two per customer. Photo: The Lincolnite

According to the Guardian, Boris Johnson commented on reports of people panic buying by saying: “We’ve had no advice from the scientific advisers or medical officers that there’s any need for people to buy stuff in.”