Coronavirus: Boris Johnson pleads to the public to stop panic-buying in live statement

Boris Johnson has issued a plea to the public to stop panic buying as supermarkets continue to struggle at the hands of huge demand.

The Prime Minister made the statement during the third of a series of live press conferences linked to the coronavirus outbreak.

"On mass buying and the price issue, I really hope retailers will continue to be reasonable," he said.

"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," he said.

The warning comes just hours after online grocer Ocado announced it had suspended orders - just a day after closing its services off to new customers.

Sainsbury's, Asda, Lidl, Tesco, Morrisons, Waitrose, Aldi and M&S have also now imposed limits on sales in a bid to keep stores stocked.

Tesco Extra stores will no longer be open 24 hours a day - with stores closing early to give staff time to replenish shelves.

Tesco has also cut opening hours at all its 24-hour stores saying it would be open from 6am and 10pm as the UK moves to restrict movement in a bid to control the virus (Getty)

The grocer, which is Britain's biggest supermarket chain, said it has introduced a three-item limit on all items including pasta, baked beans, anti-bacterial wipes, gels and sprays, and long-life milk until further notice. Asda is following suit.

At Sainsbury's, shoppers will be able to buy a maximum of three of any grocery product.

These limits shrink to a maximum of two of each of its most popular items including toilet paper, soap, and UHT (long-lasting) milk.

Aldi has restricted all items in its stores to four units a person after seeing "unprecedented demand" across its range this week.

Waitrose has said it will shut all cafés and restaurants from Friday Match 20, to allow staff to keep shelves replenished throughout the day.

All items will also be limited to three per person - with toilet roll limited to just two.

Morrisons has imposed restrictions on cleaning products - with bleach now capped at six per person and two for hand sanitisers.

If you're concerned that a retailer could be be inflating prices on purpose, this is how to report it.