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Aldi Limits Customers To Four Of Every Item Amid Panic-Buying

Aldi Limits Customers To Four Of Every Item Amid Panic-Buying

The supermarket chain said it was experiencing 'unprecedented demand'

Claire Reid

Claire Reid

Aldi has announced it will be limiting purchases to four of each product per customer, in an attempt to ensure there is enough stock for everyone amid panic-buying.

The supermarket chain posted on social media to say its staff were working 'tirelessly' to keep up with the 'unprecedented demand'.

The statement: "All our stores remain open and continue to serve our valued customers. We have good product availability and our incredible colleagues are working tirelessly to restock and replenish shelves as quickly as they can.

PA

"As we have seen an unprecedented demand across our range, we will be limiting customer purchases to four units on all products to ensure all of our customers have an opportunity to purchase them. We thank you all for your patience during this time."

The move has been praised by some shoppers, with one posting: "Seems fair. Anyone bulk-buying or stockpiling is just selfish, there's simply no need for it."

A second wrote: "Bravo Aldi! I dare not contemplate the potential amount of food waste as some stockpile perishable goods. I try to be non judgemental as perhaps they're buying for others in isolation...? But sadly I think it's more about self-preservation."

Meanwhile a third person said: "Might have to shop at Aldi again. Thank you for being so sensible."

Other supermarkets have introduced their own limits to certain items, such as hand sanitiser and toilet paper, but Aldi is the first to introduce a blanket restriction on all products.

PA

Images and videos shared on social media over the past couple of weeks have shown bare shelves, lengthy queues and even fights as people panic buy amid the coronavirus outbreak.

Over in the US, President Donald Trump has urged citizens not to panic-buy and stockpile.

Speaking yesterday, he said: "There's no need for anybody in the country to hoard essential food supplies.

"They said to me, 'Could you please tell them, just go and buy, enjoy it, have a nice dinner, relax, because there's plenty.'"

He continued: "But you don't have to buy the quantities because it's hard to refill the stores on a basis as rapid as they're refilling them.

"They're going to work 24 hours 'round the clock keeping their stores stocked. I would like to say people shouldn't go out and buy - we're going to all be great.

"They've actually asked me to say, 'Could you buy a little bit less, please?' I thought I'd never hear that from a retailer.

"We have no shortages other than people are buying anywhere from 3-5 times what they would normally buy. It's going to be there for a long time. There's a pent-up demand, that's incredible."

It's okay to not panic. LADbible and UNILAD's aim with our campaign, Cutting Through, is to provide our community with facts and stories from the people who are either qualified to comment or have experienced first-hand the situation we're facing. For more information from the World Health Organisation on Coronavirus, click here.

Featured Image Credit: PA

Topics: uk news, coronavirus