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Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
World
Sophie McCoid

Sainsbury's 'may run out of some items' but warn customers not to panic buy

Sainsbury's has warned that some products could be missing from shelves due to restrictions at ports, but said food for a traditional Christmas lunch is available and already in the country.

The supermarket has issued the warning as the Port of Dover closed as France shut the border between the UK for 48 hours.

Several countries have banned travel from the UK over the mutant strain of coronavirus that has been found in London and the South East.

People are being told not to panic buy and Transport Secretary Grant Schapps said that people won't notice many shortages in supermarkets.

Asked if consumers will see shortages in supermarkets, Mr Shapps said: "The supply chain is pretty robust in as much as you get variations in supply all the time. For the most part, people won't notice it."

But Sainsbury's have warned they may run low on some products over the coming days.

A Sainsbury's spokesperson said: "All products for the Great British Christmas lunch are already in the country and we have plenty of these.

"We are also sourcing everything we can from the UK and looking into alternative transport for product sourced from Europe.

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"If nothing changes, we will start to see gaps over the coming days on lettuce, some salad leaves, cauliflowers, broccoli and citrus fruit - all of which are imported from the Continent at this time of year.

"We hope the UK and French governments can come to a mutually agreeable solution that prioritises the immediate passage of produce and any other food at the ports."

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