The UK’s largest pharmacy chain Boots has joined other retailers in imposing rations on items like hand sanitizer, as shoppers panic-buy products during the coronavirus outbreak.
In Boots stores across London, items like thermometers, paracetemol and hand soap have sold out. Hand soap sales alone are at about 1,000% of usual levels, the company says.
“Clearly people are very anxious,” Boots Chief Operating Officer for the UK and Ireland Tracey Clements told CNN.
“So customers may find we have [a product] for a part of the day, but not the whole of the day, but we continue to try and procure as much as possible.”
Supermarket chain Sainsbury’s also announced it would implement a series of measures, including some to help the elderly and vulnerable ensure they get the items they need.
“We will set aside the first hour in every supermarket this Thursday 19th March for elderly and vulnerable customers,” Sainsbury’s Chief Executive Officer Mike Coupe said in a statement shared on Twitter on Wednesday.
“We will also help elderly and vulnerable customers to access food online. From Monday 23rd March, our online customers who are over 70 years of age or have a disability will have priority access to online delivery slots.”