Fury over the online sellers cashing in on fear & misery

SHOPS, online retailers and eBay sellers are accused of profiteering from essentials such as toilet paper, baby milk and hand sanitiser.

Some shoppers have been spotted buying vast quantities of key items, leading to fears they plan to exploit shortages to make quick profits online.

One eBay seller is offering an 800g tub of Aptamil baby formula milk for £28, when it normally retails for around £10. They are also selling an “NHS-approved” 50ml bottle of hand sanitiser for £49.90.

One eBay user posted: “Vile bulk buyer bumping up prices during a pandemic.”

Another is selling an 800g tub of Cow & Gate follow-on milk for £24.99. One shopper said: “What kind of human being does this at a time when everyone needs to band together?” Another said: “You try to make a profit when some people can’t feed their babies.”

Some traders are cashing in on the demand for loo rolls. One in Walsall wants £15.99 for nine, and one in Leicester asks

£28 baby milk £39.99 for 36. As the demand for hand sanitiser continues, online marketplace Wowcher is selling three 100ml bottles for £32, including postage. One shopper called it an “obscene price”. A furious shopper in Birmingham accused his local Costcutter of hiking the cost of paracetamol, asking £2.99 for a brand that is usually less than 50p for 16 tablets.

One sponsored listing on eBay is for 32 paracetamol caplets for £35.99 – more than 10 times the usual price. Other sellers offer 14 Panadol Extra for up to £18.

A grandad said his local chemist admitted hiking the cost of Calpol from £3.50 to £6.99, blaming suppliers.