Morrisons Becomes First Supermarket To Re-Introduce Limit On ‘Key Products’
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Morrisons has become the first supermarket to re-introduce restrictions on 'key products', after retailers urged customers to continue shopping as normal amid fears of a second lockdown.
Earlier this year, many supermarkets were forced to place limits on key items when shoppers cleared shelves as the UK entered lockdown.
Now Morrisons has reintroduced such caps, meaning shoppers will face restrictions on the number of items they can buy for some essential products.
Stressing that stock levels are 'good', the chain said the change will affect items like toilet roll and disinfectant, adding that the move aims to ensure products are available for everyone.
A spokesman told The Grocer: "We are introducing a limit on a small number of key products, such as toilet roll and disinfectant.
"Our stock levels of these products are good, but we want to ensure that they are available for everyone."
Retailers have said there is nothing to feel concerned about, with Asda telling LADbible it had seen no signs of panic buying in stores, adding that it has 'great availability' in store and online.
Tesco has not been experiencing any shortages either - having more than doubled its online capacity from around 600,000 weekly slots at the start of the crisis to 1.5 million now - while Aldi and Sainsbury's also continue to have 'good availability'.
A spokesperson for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) told LADbible: "The UK has a highly resilient food supply chain. We continue to work closely with food retailers and the food industry as we have done throughout the response to the coronavirus pandemic. They are operating normally and as expected."
Andrew Opie, Director of Food and Sustainability at the British Retail Consortium, has also urged the public to continue shopping as they normally would, safe in the knowledge we are well-prepared for any future lockdowns.
He said: "Retailers have done an excellent job in ensuring customers have access to food and necessities throughout this pandemic. Since March, retail businesses have strengthened their supply chains as well as investing hundreds of millions to make stores safe and secure for customers; this includes perspex screens, social distancing measures and additional hygiene measures. As such, retail remains a safe space for consumers, even under future lockdowns.
"Supply chains are stronger than ever before and we do not anticipate any issues in the availability of food or other goods under any future lockdown. Nonetheless, we urge consumers to be considerate of others and shop as they normally would."
