GROCERY DELIVERY SLOTS TO THOSE IN NEED

the current climate, when we have a limited amount of stock, promotions such as multi-buys are irresponsible.

“These products have gone back to their pre-promotion, everyday great value prices, which removes complexity from stores, meaning our colleagues can just focus on serving customers and filling shelves.” Tesco chief executive Dave Lewis also appealed for calm.

He said: “If you’re heading out today or next week, we ask one thing – buy only what you need, so that there is enough for everyone.

“Maybe at the end of each aisle ask yourself, ‘Next week, do I need everything in my trolley or basket?’ If the answer is, ‘No’, then please consider putting some things back on shelves. If all of us do just a bit of that, then every little will help.” He added that food was “arriving every day at vastly increased volumes... and record levels”.

He said up to double the usual amounts of milk, bread, rice and pasta had been put on the shelves last week and 3.4million toilet rolls had been sent out – up from the usual two million.

Meanwhile, Allergy UK has appealed to shoppers to think about those who need “Free From” foods.

The charity is receiving reports that shoppers are buying up alternatives such as oat milk and gluten-free bread when standard products are temporarily sold out – leaving people who need these products empty handed.

Carla Jones, CEO of Allergy UK said: “We understand how anxious people are in the current circumstances.

“We are all living through unprecedented times but we are asking people to please consider the needs of a large group of people who do not have the luxury of choice.”