Coronavirus: UK ‘should be ashamed’ after NHS and key workers unable to purchase supplies amid panic buying, says NHS medical chief

Hoarders stockpiling £1bn worth of food in their homes, says retail boss

A senior NHS boss has accused panic buyers of depriving healthcare staff of the food supplies they need, adding: “Frankly we should all be ashamed.”

NHS England national medical director Stephen Powis’​ comments, at a Downing Street press conference, came after days in which supermarkets have seen their shelves stripped of food by shoppers fearful of running out during the coronavirus shutdown.

Retailers revealed that hoarders are storing £1bn worth of goods in their homes, creating shortages despite the fact that manufacturers have produced 50 per cent more food in the last week than usual.

Prof Powis said that the impact of panic buying on healthcare workers was graphically illustrated in the widely shared video of critical care nurse Dawn Bilbrough, from York, weeping after finding her local supermarket empty of food after coming off a 48-hour shift.

“Frankly, we should all be ashamed that that has to happen,” he said. “It’s unacceptable.

“These are the very people that we will all need to look after us or our loved ones in the weeks ahead. It is critical that by not stockpiling, by not selfishly shopping, by leaving these supplies for others too, that our health workers are able to get access to what they need.”

Standing alongside Prof Powis, environment secretary George Eustice issued a plea to Britons to “be responsible when you shop and think of others”, particularly healthcare workers.

“There is no risk of food running out,” he said.​

“Buying more than you need means that others may be left without, making life more difficult for those frontline workers, such as our doctors and nurses and NHS support staff, who are working so hard in such difficult circumstances.

“So as you shop, think of those who are finishing their late shifts and need to pop to the local shop at the end of a long day.”

He added: “There is more than enough food to go round and our food supply chain is able to expand production to cope with increased demand.”

The chief executive of the British Retail Consortium, Helen Dickinson, who took part in a call with supermarkets alongside Mr Eustice and the prime minister today, called on shoppers to “make sure they only buy what they need”.

“There is a billion pounds’ more food in people’s houses than there was three weeks ago, so we should make sure we eat some of it,” she said.

Ms Dickinson said people may not always be able to buy their usual products and admitted there “may be less choice than perhaps there has otherwise been” during the outbreak.

She said: “I was in my local supermarket this morning. I didn’t get my normal list ... but there was plenty of other things that I bought instead, it wasn’t like there was nothing available.”

Ms Dickinson compared the situation to Christmas “without the four months build-up in planning” but insisted that there was enough food. The issue stems from transporting goods to the shelves more quickly, rather than shortages of goods.

The environment secretary faced repeated questions about the prospect of rationing if people refuse to behave sensibly but said retailers were better placed to decide on which stock to place limits on.

He said: “The reality is that most of the supermarkets are already, of their own accord, putting limits on certain items so I don’t think it is necessary or appropriate for the government to dictate this.”

The government is also keeping “a close eye” on profiteering, Mr Eustice said, amid concerns some products have been sold online for inflated prices.

He also told The Independent that talks were ongoing with supermarkets to ensure that food banks were able to retain stock in order to help vulnerable people, and added that more information on the subject would be released in the coming days.