Huge queues have gathered outside a Tesco supermarket in Newcastle as panic-buying continues amid the coronavirus outbreak.
Shelves have been stripped bare across the UK with shoppers filling their cupboards with items such as toilet roll, pasta, tinned vegetables and handwash.
All major supermarket chains recently announced they were limiting product purchases and have also begun implementing priority shopping hours for the elderly and vulnerable.
Shoppers continue to flock to their nearest supermarket with many ignoring the Government's plea to stop buying more than they need.
The environment secretary, George Eustice, told people on Saturday to "calm down” and “only buy what they need”, urging them to think of frontline workers when filling their trollies.
He said: “We recognise that this is a challenging time and there are many things the government is asking the nation to do differently as we work together to fight this pandemic.
“Be responsible when you shop and think of others. Buying more than you need means others may be left without.”
He added that the increase in demand has been similar to that seen at Christmas and stressed the message that “there is enough food available”.
But that hasn't stopped hundreds of shoppers at Tesco in Kingston Park who have been queuing around the supermarket's car park on Sunday morning.
Footage shows members of the public eager to get into the store at 9.30am to top up their supplies.
Asked about possible government intervention to restrict food purchases, Eustice 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.”
