CORONAVIRUS: Panic buying leaves supermarket shelves EMPTY

These images show the scale of so-called ‘panic buying’ as shoppers scramble to get their hands on essential goods amid quarantine and self isolation fears. 

Tesco, Canal Road

There are reports of goods including medicine, toilet roll, tins and baby essentials like nappies and milk being swept off the shelves as people prepare for potential ‘lockdown’.

Tesco, Canal Road

Bradford-based Morrisons has announced a suite of measures it will take in a bid to keep stores running smoothly for customers.

Chief executive David Potts said its staff are “working around the clock” to ensure customers have what they need.

In a statement released yesterday, he said: “We are a foodmaker and shopkeeper and we’re increasing the amount of food we make in our British manufacturing sites to meet customers’ needs.

Asda, Shipley. Picture: Fenn Settle

“We’ve increased the amount of stock being sent to stores from our warehouses, with colleagues working incredibly hard.

“We’re extending our home delivery service so we can deliver to more customers on their doorstep at the times they need us.

“We’re introducing temporary purchase limits on products where there is high demand, so they remain available for longer for customers to buy.

“Cleaning in our stores is being increased throughout the day to ensure high standards of food safety and store cleanliness are maintained.”

Telegraph & Argus readers have shared their own experience of shopping in Bradford in what is an unprecedented situation. 

Aldi, Clayton Road. Picture: Casey Day

One woman, who asked not be named, said she works in a smaller supermarket store and people are struggling to find baby milk.

“I work in a smaller scale shop and many mums have been telling me they’ve tried several shops for baby milk,” she said.

Victoria Phillips said she was worried about running out of nappies for her two boys.

A T&A reader who asked not to be named sent this picture of Aldi in Idle

She described the situation at the Morrisons in Girlington as “crazy” and said there were no nappies there, but she managed to get some from Lidl.

Traci Bennett said the Asda in Shipley was “worse than Christmas” while Patsy Harris said: “Tried Tesco, Asda and Morrisons for an online shop earliest delivery was a week on Tuesday, suppose I’ll have to go myself instead. I need some food to last till [sic] then, if there’s anything left.”

Some have warned against panic buying, advising people to stay local - and smaller.

Eileen Thomas said: “Try using your local shops for a change,got all that I needed no problem.”

And Fiona Paterson said: “Only seems to be the supermarkets in town centre. Go further out they’re not too bad. Smaller shops still stocked including my local Tesco Express. Has all baby items there. Panic buying just leads to more panic buying.”

Downing Street has stressed there is no need for shoppers to panic-buy items.

“Representatives of our leading supermarkets have been clear that people should shop as they normally do and have asked everyone to be considerate in the way they shop,” the Prime Minister’s official spokesman said.

“Retailers are taking all the necessary steps to ensure that consumers have the food and supplies they need and we are working closely with the food industry to ensure that there is resilience of the supply network.”

Meanwhile, the number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Bradford still stands at six, with no further movement from Sunday.

In the face of the ongoing and unpredictable situation, Bradford Council announced a full Council meeting due to take place tomorrow has been cancelled “in order to enable councillors and staff to focus on full-time planning to respond to Coronavirus”.

Council leader Susan Hinchcliffe said: “Other decision-making meetings will continue to take place so that business as usual is maintained.”

And Bradford Civic Society’s Executive Team has decided to postpone all public meetings and events until June at the earliest. This includes its AGM, which was scheduled to take place in May, but will now be rearranged.  
Wednesday’s planned Little Germany ‘Make a Difference’ Day has also been cancelled by Bradford BID, and will be rearranged for later in the year. 

Organisers of events taking place months from now are also looking at how the virus might impact their programmes.

Syima Aslam, Director of the Bradford Literature Festival, said her and her team are working to hard to deliver the event, which often pulls in high-profile names in the literary world, but would be keeping a close eye on the situation.