Environment Secretary George Eustice has urged shoppers to respect supermarkets plans to limit the purchase of certain items during the coronavirus pandemic. Shelves have been stripped of essential items, such as toilet rolls, hand sanitiser, paracetamol, meat, fruit and vegetables as shoppers ignore pleas not to stockpile. It has led to supermarkets having to bring in limits on the amount of some items sold, with golden shopping hours introduced to help the elderly and NHS and care workers.

Speaking during the daily Downing Street briefing on Saturday afternoon, Environment Secretary George Eustice urged people not to panic-buy.

He said: “We recognise that this is a challenging time and there are many things the Government is asking the nation to do differently as we work together to fight this pandemic.

“Be responsible when you shop and think of others.

“Buying more than you need means others may be left without.”

He added: “The reality is that most of the supermarkets are already putting limits on certain items.

“I don’t think it is necessary or appropriate for the Government to dictate rules on different stores and different items.

“They’re working together to work out an appropriate limit is.

“Today I’m asking everyone to respect what those supermarkets are doing.”

“They are trying to ensure that their shelves don’t go empty early in the morning and to achieve that they are putting item limits on certain goods.

“More food is arriving everyday, there’s no shortage of food.”

Sainsbury’s said from next week health and social care staff will be able to shop between 8am and 9am every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, alongside elderly and vulnerable shoppers.

It is also consolidating its opening hours in its main stores from 8am to 8pm, Monday to Saturday, in order to be able focus on restocking shelves. Sunday opening, Sainsbury’s Local and petrol station opening times will stay the same.

Chief executive Mike Coupe urged customers to take simple measures to reduce risk by standing one metre away from each other and consider paying with card instead of cash.

“Please also treat our colleagues and other customers with kindness and respect,” he said.

“These are unprecedented circumstances and our colleagues are being asked to come to work every day while so many others are being asked to stay at home.

“We all need them to keep coming to work to feed the nation – a small thank you goes a really long way.”

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Meanwhile, Morrisons is taking on up to 500 staff from Marie Curie and CLIC Sargent charity shops to help the elderly and vulnerable in its supermarkets.

They will be working alongside Morrisons’ army of community champions who currently work with local charities and community groups.

The Co-op is donating £1.5 million of essential food items to charity FareShare’s network of food banks and community groups, while Asda is giving £5 million to FareShare and the Trussell Trust.

The supermarkets have also begun rewarding staff for working through the crisis.

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