Tesco reintroduces rationing due to panic-buying and stockpiling over second lockdown fears

Supermarkets urge customers to ‘shop considerately’ amid worries of second lockdown

Floor stickers in the alcohol aisle inside a Tesco Metro supermarket ask customers to social distance as they shop (AFP via Getty Images)

Tesco has introduced limits on the sale of some key items to prevent customers from panic-buying as the government introduced new coronavirus restrictions to curb the spread of the virus.

The supermarket will restrict people from bulk-buying products such as flour, pasta, toilet rolls and anti-bacterial wipes, in a move similar to Morrisons, which introduced limits on Thursday.

Shelves were stripped bare of essential household and food items in March, when the first coronavirus lockdown was announced.

A spokesperson for Tesco, Britain’s biggest supermarket, said: “We have got good availability, with plenty of stock to go round, and we would encourage our customers to shop as normal.

“To ensure that everyone can keep buying what they need, we have introduced bulk-buy limits on a small number of products.”

All major supermarkets first introduced restrictions on bulk-buying in March, but lifted them once stocks recovered.

Morrisons was the first to bring the limits back this week amid reports of panic-buying due to fears of a second coronavirus lockdown.

The supermarket chain introduced a purchase limit of three on products such as toilet roll and disinfectant, but reassured people there are still plenty of items “available for everyone”.

It comes after supermarket bosses called on shoppers to buy only what they need, stating that there is more than enough to go around.

Tesco CEO Dave Lewis said on Wednesday that panic-buying is “unnecessary” and added that it “creates a tension in the supply chain” that can be easily avoided.

Giles Hurley, chief executive of Aldi UK, penned an open letter to customers urging them to “shop considerately” and reassuring them that Aldi stores remain “fully stocked”.