Shoppers face queues ‘not seen since March’ amid rush at Sheffield supermarkets

The busy conditions come despite repeated calls not to panic-buy after a new variant of coronavirus in the south-east of England caused France to stop freight travelling from the UK.

In Sheffield, shoppers queued the length of the car park at one supermarket on Monday, while others complained of a scarcity of Christmas essentials.

Kevin Edger said he had to go to three supermarkets for his shopping in Bridgend, Wales, on Monday after being met with empty shelves in Sainsbury’s – he also queued for almost an hour.

“There were queues everywhere, I saw stockpiling of things like toilet roll again, but with fresh fruit and veg, there wasn’t any,” the 33-year-old said.

“It was like being in a supermarket that hadn’t stocked up in weeks.

“It was crazy. Back like the start of March… (there were) even some people shouting at each other over the last sprouts, talk about Christmas spirit and all that.”

Mr Edger, who works for a local council in London, had returned to Wales on Saturday ahead of the enforcement of new Tier 4 lockdown rules.

Ameera Patel queued for 40 minutes in the rain outside her local Waitrose in Gerrards Cross, Buckinghamshire, on Monday morning.

“(It’s) something I haven’t seen since March, April time,” the 40-year-old trainee financial adviser told PA.

Ms Patel said shelves were well-stocked overall, except for on the toilet roll aisle, where some were empty.

“The atmosphere was fine inside the store, busy festive time … there didn’t appear to be a worried feel,” she added.

Sainsbury’s earlier warned that disruption stemming from the port of Dover could hit supplies of lettuce, some salad leaves, cauliflowers, broccoli and citrus fruit, all of which are imported from mainland Europe in the winter.

However, the supermarket giant assured customers that crucial Christmas dinner supplies are available and already in the country.

Alex Veitch, general manager at Logistics UK – formerly known as the Freight Transport Association – said he is “genuinely not worried” about food shortages and urged people not to panic buy.