Tesco limits purchases as Covid-19 concerns mount

Britain's biggest grocer has limited customers to three items for purchases of flour, dried pasta, antibacterial wipes and other products. Tesco's action follows Morrisons' move on Thursday to limit purchases of toilet roll, disinfectants and other items.

Tesco said it had "introduced bulk-buy limits on a small number of products" to make sure shoppers could get what they need. Online purchases of items such as tinned vegetables and rice have also been limited.

"We have good availability, with plenty of stock to go round, and we would encourage our customers to shop as normal," Tesco told the BBC.

In March supermarkets imposed strict limits on purchases as panicking customers stripped shelves of loo roll, pasta, flour and tinned goods as the economy went into lockdown. The government warned on Tuesday that the UK was in for a tough six months as it imposed limited new restrictions in an attempt to curb rising rates of Covid-19 infections.

Supermarket groups told the BBC customers had not resorted to panic buying since the government's announcement but pictures on social media have shown empty shelves for items such as toilet roll and cereals.

The British Retail Consortium said supply chains were good and urged consumers to shop as normal.

"Supply chains are stronger than ever before and we do not anticipate any issues in the availability of food or other goods under a future lockdown, Andrew Opie, the BRC's sustainability director, told the BBC.