RATIONING THREAT TO
RATIONING remains an option if the mass panic-buying that has stripped supermarket shelves around the country continues.
An NHS boss yesterday said people should be “ashamed” of themselves for hoarding and should show consideration for those struggling to find food.
Environment Secretary George Eustice repeatedly declined to rule out rationing when he was questioned during the latest Downing Street briefing on the coronavirus outbreak.
However, he said it was best for retailers to unite and decide the limits on individual items, adding that people should “calm down and buy only what they need”.
He said: “There’s no risk of food running out. The challenge we have is getting food to the shelves and keeping it there.”
Warning of the impact on the health service, he said: “Buying more than you need means that others may be left without and it is making life more difficult for those frontline workers, such as our doctors and nurses, and NHS support staff.” Some of the strongest words came from Professor Stephen Powis, national medical director of NHS England.
He did not hide his dismay that critical care nurse Dawn Bilbrough felt she had to issue a plea on social media for people to think of others. In last week’s post, she told how she was reduced to tears after being unable to buy fruit and vegetables at the end of a shift.
Prof Powis said: “Frankly, we should all be ashamed. It’s unacceptable. These are the very people that we will all need to look after perhaps us or our loved ones in the weeks ahead.”
The Environment Secretary insisted people did not have to worry about food running out. Mr Eustice claimed: “There is more than enough to go round and our supply chain is able to expand production to cope.”
Speaking alongside him, Helen Dickinson, chief executive of the British Retail Consortium, compared the surge in buying to the spike in demand that comes at
Christmas. Urging people to show restraint, she said there is “£1billion more food in people’s houses than there was three weeks ago”.
She said she took “a lot of comfort” from evidence from the Republic of Ireland which suggests the spike in demand will trail off.
“There is plenty of food in the supply chain,” she claimed. “The issue is around people and lorries.”
Separately, former justice secretary David
Gauke said restrictions on Sunday trading should be lifted to support the elderly and NHS workers.
Last night Tesco announced a 10 per cent pay bonus on its hourly rates to thank its staff for their hard work during panic shopping. The bonus will be backdated to March 9 and all permanent workers will receive the increased hourly rate until May 1.
And Asda has announced it will be donating £5million to food banks and community charities through its partners Fareshare and the Trussell Trust, to provide more than four million meals to families in poverty impacted by the virus.
However concerns are mounting about profiteering and crime. It is understood that food and vital supplies have been on sale online at huge mark-ups.
Amid fears that shortages of key items will also spark a crime wave, police found dozens of stolen toilet rolls and sanitiser in a van near Chelmsford, Essex, and three men were arrested on suspicion of burglary and theft of a vehicle.
Other thieves stole £1,200 of food from the Old Vicarage hotel at Worfield, near Bridgnorth, Shropshire, on Friday. The items had been set aside to feed people self-isolating in the area. Owner David Blakstad said: “We can’t believe this has happened. We were planning to start up a community food service but, sadly, we won’t be able to do this now.”
Meanwhile, people have been urged not to abandon their local shops. There are fears that many could go out of business as the pandemic continues.
One venture trying to attract new business is the Brewery Tap, in Furneux Pelham, East Hertfordshire, run by Lucy Bonner, 23. She has transformed her pub’s dining area into a popup basic foods shop in the hope it will keep her business alive at a time when pubs can no longer operate – and that it will give locals an alternative to driving 25 minutes to the nearest large town.
In a similar move, Grain Brewery, of Alburgh, Norfolk, is launching a drive-through service for customers who can no longer buy a pint at their local pub.
Mike Cherry, of the Federation of Small Businesses, said: “It’s critical we support our small firms during this crisis”