As Brits panic buy until there is nothing left on supermarket shelves, our European counterparts show us how it can be done.
Images of fully stocked shops with everything from fruit and vegetables to toilet rolls and pasta can be seen in Italy, Spain and France.
As each country battles this global pandemic, its citizens have reacted very differently.
And despite Government ministers telling Brits there is enough food in the supply chain, scared shoppers are stripping the shelves daily across the country.
NHS medical director Stephen Powis hit out at "selfish" shoppers hoarding goods and said they should be "ashamed" of themselves.
Mr Powis said a video posted on social media of critical care nurse Dawn, who was reduced to tears after being unable to find any fruit or vegetables in a supermarket.
He said: "Frankly we should all be ashamed that that has to happen - it's unacceptable.
"These are the very people that we all need to look after perhaps us or our loved ones in the weeks to come."
"I would like to make a plea on behalf of all my colleagues in the NHS, nurses, doctors, paramedics and many, many others who are working incredibly hard at the moment to manage this outbreak of coronavirus.
"It's incredibly important that they too have access to food, to those essential supplies that they need."
Allergy charities are also calling on residents not to shop in the free from aisle as this can be dangerous for those who need the products.
Allergy UK say it is receiving reports that shoppers are leaving ‘Free From’ fixtures empty as they buy up alternatives such as oat milk and gluten free bread when standard products are temporarily sold out, leaving people who need these products empty handed.
A mother of a young child with an allergy to cow’s milk has told the charity that she could not buy the oat milk her child needed because the shelves had been cleared.
Despite reassurances from government and supermarkets, people are ‘bulk buying’ on a huge scale and this is impacting on people like this mother who need ‘Free From’ products to feed their children, the charity said.
Allergy UK added that people with allergies do not have the luxury of an alternative – a food allergy means complete avoidance of the allergen and they rely on certain ‘Free From’ products to keep their children safe from reactions that can be serious and even fatal.
CEO of Allergy UK Carla Jones said “Of course we understand how anxious people are in the current circumstances.
"We are all living through unprecedented times with a high degree of uncertainty, but we are asking people to please consider the needs of a large group of people who do not have the luxury of choice.
"They need these food products and we are simply asking shoppers to be aware of these needs when they reach for a ‘Free From’ product when mainstream products are temporarily sold out.
"It is our responsibility to our community to highlight what we see as an unforeseen consequence of the bulk buying that has become such a feature of these times and to create an awareness that might prompt people to think again."
In parts of Italy, the country worst hit by the deadly virus, customers can visit a supermarket only every 48 hours and must stand three metres apart, the Sun reports.
In the city of Lyon, in the north of France, journalist Rosie Wright said: "Shoppers are one metre apart, it's calm, no queues and plenty of food."
Brit Rachel Hammond, who is Lanzarote in Spain, said: "I went out today to get some food and our shops are full.
"Why in England are people going psycho buying toilet rolls and panic buying food?"
Supermarkets around the UK are dedicating special shopping hours to the elderly and to NHS workers in a bid to help.
Dave Lewis, Tesco CEO, announced last week that shoppers would be limited to three of any one item.
He said: "At Tesco, we have been doing everything we can to keep business as usual, but we now have to accept it is not business as usual.
"In the last two weeks, we have seen significant and prolonged increases in demand across all of our stores and this is leading to shortages in some products for some customers.
"Reacting to the latest government announcements, we have to plan on this situation being the new normal and we will do all that we can to make the food you want available, but we need your help."
