Fury over supermarket ‘shelf-ish’
Panic buying leaves big stores with just 3% stock of essentials
A FRESH wave of panic buying sparked chaos at supermarkets across Scotland yesterday.
Despite all major chains appealing to shoppers to stop stockpiling, people continued to strip shelves bare.
Several supermarkets have introduced exclusive opening hours for older and vulnerable people to shop and restricted the amount of certain products people can buy to try to alleviate the problem.
But a survey from 367 stores revealed the impact panic buyers’ behaviour is having on stock. Data company Shepper was asked to assess the availability of key items against the normal level, and found the amount of hand sanitiser on shelves was at just 3.3 per cent of the usual supply.
Toilet roll was at 4.3 per cent of the normal level and pasta at 6.2 per cent, amid concerns that some supplies from Italy have been interrupted.
In Glasgow, one woman posted an image of empty shelves on Twitter, writing: ‘It’s actually really scary how bad this is getting with people panic buying.’
At the 24-hour Asda in Govan, Glasgow, the store now closes between midnight and 6am to allow staff to restock shelves.
One shopper said: ‘I normally pop in after I finish work to get a few things. Normally it is really quiet but it was really busy. Loads of shelves were empty.
‘There were people shopping with face masks on. A staff member kept telling customers to make their way to the tills ahead of the midnight closure but even with a few minutes left to go people were continuing to shop.’
Mars Douglas, 74, told Glasgow Live he struggled at a store in the city, saying: ‘There was a queue right round the shop to try and pay – so busy and crowded.
‘It looks like people are planning ahead for some time. Pasta and toilet paper are impossible to get hold of – who knows what people are doing with it all?’
In Aberdeen, a charity has launched an appeal to help parents who are struggling to find formula milk to feed their babies as a result of panic buying.
Abernecessities, which helps some of the most vulnerable people in the city, said it has been inundated with requests from desperate parents. Its founder,
Danielle Flecher-Horn, told STV News: ‘Please don’t stockpile.
‘Don’t use formula milk as milk in your cups of tea or coffee. We need to feed babies. My biggest fear is we end up with babies in hospital, malnourished.’
A joint message on behalf of all the UK’s major supermarket chains pleaded with the public to shop in a ‘considerate’ way, adding ‘there’s enough for everyone’.
Panic buyers were branded ‘selfish’ by Transport Minister Michael Matheson this week, as he warned of the impact on vulnerable shoppers such as the elderly.