The Archbishop of Canterbury has urged stockpiling shoppers to stop hoarding food amid the coronavirus panic, telling worshippers there is ‘no Christian justification’ for doing so.
After supermarkets up and down the country saw huge queues and rushes for staple goods such as toilet roll and tinned food, Most Reverend Justin Welby tweeted: ‘If you’re still hoarding more food and supplies than you need, please, please stop.
‘Please think of others – especially the most vulnerable, and those risking their health to look after us. Leave enough for everyone. We depend on each other.’
The Church of England’s most senior bishop added: ‘And to put it a bit more strongly for followers of Jesus – there is no Christian justification for hoarding more than you need.
‘As John the Baptist said in the Gospel of Luke, “Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none; and whoever has food must do likewise.”
Several supermarkets have now announced restrictions on certain items and special hours for elderly and vulnerable residents due to the surge in demand for goods.
The Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby has urged stockpiling shoppers to stop hoarding food amid the coronavirus panic, telling worshippers there is ‘no Christian justification’ for doing so
Most Rev Welby instead urged people to consider donating to food banks, which have seen increased pressure during the outbreak.
‘If your cupboards are full, here’s an idea – take a few items to your local foodbank, or ask if your neighbours need something,’ he tweeted.
The Church is preparing to deliver its Sunday services online-only for the first time after banning mass worship to prevent the spread of the virus.
Rev Welby’s plea came after furious Britons criticised selfish panic-buyers who have raided shelves and left those most in need without food and essential supplies.
As the number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the country reaches 3,983 with 177 deaths, and workers are confined to carrying out their duties from home, shops are still being stripped bare.
Last week saw a spike in shoppers stripping shelves bare, leaving many of Britain’s elderly and key workers who work long hours having to go without while others piled groceries high.
Customers had complained of facing three-week waits for grocery deliveries from supermarkets – with online stores not showing availability until as late as April 9 at some supermarkets.
Archbishop Welby pleaded with shoppers in a series of tweets to stop hoarding food. He also warned Christians directly that there is ‘no Christian justification for hoarding more than you need’
In an effort to battle panic-buying and a huge increase in demand as customers self-isolate, Lidl will recruit 2,500 workers on four-week contracts, and Aldi revealed a recruitment drive to hire 9,000 new workers, including 4,000 permanent jobs.
Asda says it will hire more than 5,000 temporary employees laid off due to Covid-19, working with 20 national companies to bring staff from industries including food and travel at risk of losing their jobs.
Marks and Spencer said it will reserve a ‘special hour’ for NHS and emergency workers along with vulnerable customers for the first hour of trading on specific days – and Tesco announced that from Sunday they would introduce a similar measure, allowing Health Service staff to select their shopping before checkouts open.
The Prime Minister has urged the public to stop ‘mass buying’, saying that there is ‘no reason’ shops should be empty and asking Britons to ‘please be reasonable in your shopping and be considerate of others’.
Social media users have been heaping scorn on shoppers who are taking more than their fair share of precious groceries using the hashtag #stophoarding – calling on their countrymen to be considerate and take only what they need.
Footage of distraught critical care nurse Dawn Bilbrough, who was unable to buy basic foods following a 48-hour shift, showed her urging shoppers to stop stripping supermarket shelves amid the coronavirus pandemic – in a post that gained such support it sparked the #doitfordawn hashtag where Britons are urged to be considerate of healthcare workers and those in need while shopping.
Earlier in the day, pictures emerged of shoppers buying far more groceries than they needed. (pictured: A shopper in Asda buying baby formula)
Chaotic scenes unfolded at Lidl in Neasden as shoppers sought to buy groceries amid growing fears over the coronavirus
Shoppers were faced with empty shelves in Tesco, Cambridge, on Friday morning when supplies were cleared before they had a chance to buy during their ‘Pensioners’ Hour’
Eager shoppers queue outside a Sainsbury’s supermarket in Kenton, London before it opens at 7am on March 20
Customers stock up on toilet roll at Costco as the Chancellor unveiled an emergency package aimed at protecting workers’ jobs and wages as they face hardship in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic
Furious Britons are criticising selfish panic-buyers who are raiding supermarket shelves and leaving those most in need without food and essential supplies
In her heartbreaking appeal, Ms Bilbrough, 51, from York, who had just completed a lengthy and exhausting shift, explained that she had visited her supermarket to pick up basic food items for the next two days when she was left having a ‘little cry’.
After discovering there were no fruit and vegetables for her to sustain a healthy living amid the COVID-19 outbreak, the healthcare worker made a tearful plea to the public urging them to ‘just stop it’.
Britons retweeted Ms Bilbrough’s message using the hashtag #doitfordawn, urging shoppers to stop hoarding crucial groceries leaving others with little or nothing.
The nurse took to Facebook from the seat of her car to tell the nation: ‘So I’ve just come out the supermarket. There’s no fruit and veg and I had a little cry in there.’
‘I’m a critical care nurse and I’ve just finished 48 hours of work and I just wanted to get some stuff in for the next 48 hours.
‘There’s no fruit, there’s no vegetables and I just don’t know how I’m supposed to stay healthy.
‘Those people who are just stripping the shelves have basic foods you just need to stop it because it’s people like me that are going to be looking after you when you are at your lowest and just stop it please!’
After sharing the emotional video, Ms Bilbrough was flooded with messages of support from concerned friends and loved ones, with some offering her some of their very own food items.
One person wrote: ‘Oh Dawn, I’m so sorry to see you so upset. The job you are doing is so very important to so many people, and how unfair it is that this means you are last in line for the nutritious food you really need to stay healthy and keep doing that important job. Thinking of you and sending much love.xxx’
While another commented: ‘Oh dear Dawn, heartbreaking to see you like this, I feel you, you are strong, and it is so important what you do….and many others…proud proud proud. I will share….’
Another user added: ‘Sending you love and strength Dawn Bilbrough xx’
Elsewhere another person offered the nurse some of their own groceries, telling her: ‘Dawn bless you, please don’t cry! I’m in isolation but I have a bag of potatoes, carrots and a water melon you can have.
‘I can leave them on my doorstep for you, double bagged! Be fine once, cleaned and boiled. Please don’t cry.’
The emotionally-charged video comes as retailers stress there is plenty of food in the supply chain but shoppers need to act responsibly to ensure everyone can get what they need- particularly those who are the most vulnerable.
Shoppers queue before the 7am opening time to enter a Sainsbury’s supermarket in Oldham, northern England, on March 20
Pictured: Shop shelves are left empty in a supermarket in the centre of York, northern England, on March 19
The shelves are empty as panic buying continues at the Tesco Holmbush store in Shoreham, earlier this week
Items that are now selling out, and subsequently being rationed, at supermarkets up and down the country, include long-life milk, cleaning fluids, toilet rolls and pasta
Piers Morgan calls out stores and sellers that are inflating prices as much four times including toilet roll for £14
Calls are flooding in on social media to name and shame stores that are inflating their prices so much that a four-pack of toilet roll is selling for up to £14 amid coronavirus panic buying.
Piers Morgan tweeted two pictures from local shops showing the prices of toilet roll as £14.99 and £18.99.
He tweeted the pictures alongside the caption: ‘Been sent this by a friend up North, taken in a local store today.
Calls are flooding in on social media to name and shame stores that are inflating their prices so much that a four-pack of toilet roll is selling for up to £14 amid coronavirus panic buying
‘Just as we’ll never forget the wonderful generosity and kindness of people who go the extra mile now, nor should we ever forgive essential shop-keepers who fleece their regular customers in a time of crisis.’
Some Twitter users have speculated that they believe the store is a corner shop in Gainford, Darlington.
Another outraged customer filmed the owners of his local newsagent which had hiked the price of a packet of toilet roll to £10.
Footage shows a woman behind the counter at the newsagent on the phone to police claiming the customer is ‘harassing’ her.
He proceeds to walk out of the shop and says, ‘Do not come to this shop,’ while pointing his camera at the storefront.
James Deegan posted the footage on to his Twitter account alongside the caption: ‘This is akin to the black market in WW2 and this should be made illegal.
‘She’s calling police, they should be arresting them for profiteering in a national emergency.
‘There is no excuse for hiking prices like this absolute scumbags.’
Other social media users took to Twitter to post pictures of their local shops profiteering from similar methods.
The dramatic rise in prices comes as Boris Johnson yesterday spoke on the topic of mass buying.
Horrified Twitter users responded to the astonishing uploads to show their disgust
During the fourth press conference of its kind, created to keep the public up to date on coronavirus issues, Johnson said: ‘I really hope retailers will continue to be reasonable.
‘I don’t want to see profiteering of any kind.
‘We’ve got good supply chains and farms, theres no reason for shops to be empty.
‘Everyone understands why people are buying stuff – we’re being advised to stay at home if we have symptoms.
‘However, please be reasonable in your shopping and be considerate of other shoppers as you do it.’
Sajid Javid tweeted to say: ‘Stop panic buying. I know many of you are tense and nervous. But it has real consequences for vulnerable people.
‘Just think. And stop it.’
Horrified Twitter users responded to the astonishing uploads to show their disgust.
Online retailers on eBay were also found to be hiking prices up and two rolls of toilet paper were seen selling for £9.99
One said: ‘Report to trading standards, profiteering is illegal.’
While another said: ‘This is a disgrace! How can these people live with themselves. Can we not name and shame these individuals?
‘They need outing on TV.’
Online retailers on eBay were also found to be hiking prices up and two rolls of toilet paper were seen selling for £9.99, alongside another brand of toilet paper which was selling four rolls for the same price.
Supermarkets are taking measures to help shoppers during the coronavirus outbreak, particularly for the elderly and vulnerable.
As thousands of customers stockpiled on products in a panic-buying frenzy, many were left facing empty shelves at the supermarkets during their food shop.
Here are a range of actions taken by supermarkets to steer people away from stockpiling to ensure fewer people are missing out:
Tesco has prioritised a one-hour slot for the elderly and vulnerable every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 9am in all of its stores with the exception of Express stores.
NHS staff are also able to visit large stores one hour before the usual store opening time every Sunday from March 22.
Customers are only able to buy three items of the same product with the removal of multi-buy promotions.
To allow for cleaning and filling shelves with stock, Tesco reduced the opening times at its 24-hour stores to 6am to 10pm.
The supermarket has implemented some social-distancing measures at its checkouts with customers encouraged to pay by card.
Sainsbury’s has dedicated the first hour in every supermarket to elderly and vulnerable customers.
The supermarket will also give customers aged over 70 and those with a disability priority access to online delivery slots from Monday.
It is also planning to expand its click and collect service by adding more collection sites from Monday.
To allow extra room for essential products, Sainsbury’s closed all of its cafes and meat, fish and pizza counters in its stores.
Customers are limited to buying three of any product and a maximum of two of the most popular products including toilet paper, soap and long-life milk.
From Friday, Asda has dedicated the opening hours up until 9am in its larger stores for vulnerable people, with additional support for those who need it.
The supermarket has restricted shoppers to three items of any product including food, toiletries and cleaning products.
As staff numbers fluctuate with workers in self isolation, Asda revealed plans to recruit 5,000 people.
Its employees are being urged to invite friends and family whose work has been impacted by coronavirus to get in touch with their local store about job opportunities.
Waitrose, which is part of the John Lewis Partnership, has placed a three-item limit on certain products and a limit of two packets of toilet roll.
On Friday, it launched a protected shopping period for the elderly and vulnerable at every store which will take place during the first opening hour.
The retail group has also launched a £1 million community support fund to create additional delivery services, as well as delivering essential items to care homes and community groups and donating products to vulnerable people.
The high street chain announced it is dedicating the first hour on Tuesdays and Fridays for NHS staff and emergency workers.
This does not include franchise stores in petrol and railway stations.
On Friday the first opening hour of its stores were set aside for vulnerable customers, which will continue next week every Monday and Thursday.
The German discount supermarket has announced a recruitment drive to hire 9,000 new workers, including 4,000 permanent jobs, to help keep shelves filled during the coronavirus outbreak.
The supermarket added that all nappies and paper products, including toilet and kitchen roll, will now be restricted to two items per customer. All other products will remain restricted to four items per customer, with a few exceptions.
Morrisons announced on Tuesday it is creating 3,500 jobs to expand its home delivery service to cope with demand.
It has placed purchasing restrictions across 1,250 lines.
Morrisons also announced an expansion of its home delivery service, including 3,500 new jobs.
On Friday, Lidl announced plans to recruit 2,500 workers to start immediately on four-week contracts to cope with the surge in demand.
In Northern Ireland, there are dedicated shopping sessions for elderly people from 9am to 11am every day.
The Co-op announced it will create 5,000 jobs to provide temporary employment for hospitality workers who have lost their jobs because of the coronavirus crisis.
Around 6,500 students across 25 Co-op Academy Schools who currently have free school meals will be given a £20 voucher for every week that schools remain shut.
Since Thursday, the first hour of opening every day at all Iceland stores have been dedicated to the elderly and vulnerable.
Supermarkets are responding to increasing pressure to stock shelves and deliver orders on time with an urgent recruitment push to hire thousands including 9,000 at Aldi, and 5,000 at Asda.
Lidl announced plans to recruit 2,500 workers on four-week contracts to help keep up with high demand in stores as customers continue clearing shelves over the coronavirus outbreak.
The grocer said recruits can start immediately and will be paid at least £9.30 an hour, adding ‘the new hires will be responsible for working together to keep the store clean, tidy and the shelves well stocked so that customers can get the products they need’.
Supermarket cleared of beer – except Corona!
Pictured: Corona beer at Sainsbury’s in Dulwich
A Sainsbury’s store was stripped of nearly all its beer – but wary customers left dozens of boxes of Corona.
A picture of the shop in Dulwich shows shelves almost completely bereft of alcohol, but boxes of the Mexican beer remained nearly untouched.
Last month the company that owns Corona was reported to have been facing its worst quarter in 10 years following the coronavirus outbreak.
Asda’s plans include hiring more than 5,000 temporary employees laid off due to Covid-19, working with 20 national companies to bring staff from industries including food and travel at risk of losing their jobs.
Chief executive Roger Burnley said: ‘During these difficult times everyone has to work together to help people most affected by Covid-19 and Asda is pleased to play its part.
‘That is why today we have committed to hiring more than 5,000 employees who have lost their jobs due to Covid-19 and have been left with deep concerns about their household budgets.’
Following the rise in panic buying, supermarket chains Tesco and Sainsbury’s announced that they will be restricting customers to only buying three of any grocery item.
A Sainsbury’s spokesperson told MailOnline they are limiting purchases of grocery products to a maximum of three of each item and a maximum of two on the most popular products including toilet paper, soap and UHT milk.
Meanwhile, while Asda and Morrisons announced they too will be restricting purchases across 1,250 regularly-bought lines.
Online retailer Ocado also temporarily stopped new customers from gaining a membership after they were left overwhelmed by orders from people choosing to self-isolate amid the crisis.
Yesterday Prime Minister Boris Johnson urged the country to stop panic buying and be ‘reasonable’ when they went to the supermarkets.
He said: ‘We’ve got good supply chains and farms, there’s no reason for shops to be empty.
‘Everyone understands why people are buying stuff – we’re being advised to stay at home if we have symptoms.
‘However, please be reasonable in your shopping and be considerate of other shoppers as you do it.’
DJ slammed for making £3,000 in two hours by selling toilet roll out of his van after buying it wholesale
A DJ has been slammed for cashing in on the coronavirus panic after he made £3,000 in two hours selling premium toilet paper out of his van on the side of the road.
Lee Marshall parked in a layby and sold 600 cases of 45 rolls for £15 each. He bought the premium roll from a wholesaler and went on to sell all of them – raking in thousands of pounds in profit between him and his two friends.
In a video to his fans on YouTube, he urged people to ‘get down here’ as stockpiling grips the country.
He continued: ‘If you want loo roll you’ve got to get out of bed at 4am get yourselves down to Morrisons or Aldi, you’ll be queueing up for about an hour and you might be able to get one if you’re lucky.
‘Lee’s Loo Rolls Limited is now open.’
The DJ, known as Disco Boy, wanted to do his own version of running a cherry stall by bulk-buying toilet paper and selling it in Whitstable, Kent.
He revealed: ‘A supplier messaged us and said they’ve got loads of toilet roll and can’t sell them because hotels aren’t buying at the moment. They’re just sitting in a warehouse.
‘I looked in the supermarket and they were roughly the same price as an Andrex toilet paper anyway – so we’ve sort of made £3-per-pack on them.
‘We kept some back for delivering at night – as we’ve had a lot of people messaging that they can’t reach us. My mate Brett was out until 11.30pm the day before.
‘The last drop-off I did last night, the old lady was scared and left her money by the door. We’ve done so many home deliveries and haven’t charged extra for them.’
Speaking about whether he would do it again, Mr Marshall admitted that it would be a definite possibility.
‘I’m a DJ and I’ve had so many gigs cancelled. I’ve got bills to pay and trying to keep my head above water.
‘I’ve always been a bit of a businessman and thought you can’t always make memories, but you can always make money.’
The video of Mr Marshall advertising his makeshift business has divided the internet.
One viewer said: ‘Missed opportunity here, you could have gone around giving it away for free and that video would have gone absolutely viral and you would have more than likely made more than £3k from views.’
Another added: ‘Yeah well done mate making a lot of money out of scared people panicking, great job extorting people big thumbs up pal…ha ha*’
Lee Marshall parked in a layby and sold 600 cases of 45 rolls for £15 each. He bought the premium roll from a wholesaler and went on to sell all of them – raking in thousands of pounds in profit between him and his two friends
Social media users were divided over Lee Marshall’s tactic of buying premium roll from a wholesaler and selling all of them
A third added: ‘That’s messed up… I really like your videos normally but you are profiteering off of a health crisis.
‘The bulk buy that you made to get all of this could have stopped old ladies and other people in need from accessing it.’
Another said: ‘Bit sad this, using a virus to gain money.’
But others supported his entrepreneurial ways.
Adam Gilmore wrote: ‘Legend Lee. Making a little bit of money whilst providing a cheap service. For everyone complaining he could’ve charged more and it’s not a product from the stores but from a wholesaler.
Paulo Maldinio said: ‘You done those people in the Community a solid, that was cheap. Bless you disco boy.’
Responding to the criticism, Lee wrote on his YouTube channel that he and his friends had lost their jobs.
He added: ‘All four of us involved have lost our jobs – we had this week and have bills to pay like anyone else.
‘Just putting this out there as there seems to be a lot of statements going around that we profited heavily from the vulnerable when it’s not like that at all.
‘Actually had a horrible week despite keeping a smile and powering through – hearing of so many others losing their jobs and my gigs getting cancelled.
‘Most of us reading this have our health, a roof over are head and a half comfy bed. I’ve never been one to show off materialistic things – I’m all about making the memories, travelling to places etc it’s gonna be tough times for all ahead. Always appreciate the simple things in life.
‘I’m usually happy all the time, I’m messing around with friends, making random vidz – just saying this cause now is the time to be very careful with the money we do have in times of uncertainty.
Peace out much.’