THE PRIME MINISTER has called on people to stop panic buying, saying that there is no reason why supermarket shelves should be emptied.

It has been widely reported how numerous shops across the country have had vital supplies, such as fresh meat, toilet roll and hand sanitiser, wiped clean from their shelves, including at supermarkets across Basingstoke and Andover.

Additionally, delivery shops for online services have been snapped up and one supermarket, Ocado, have even stopped all delivers temporarily because of overwhelming demand.

Now, in Thursday's daily press conference, Boris Johnson has appealed to people not to panic buy goods from stores.

He said: "There is no reason for shops to be empty. Everybody understands why people are buying stuff, but please be reasonable. Be considerate and thoughtful of others as you do it."

He was responding to a question that some shop owners had been putting the prices up of certain goods to profit out of the coronavirus pandemic.

"I really hope that retailers will continue to be reasonable, and I don't want to see profiteering of any kind."

He added that supply chains are strong. It follows news that shelf shortages could be about to end now that the initial shock of the increase in demand has been weathered.

Earlier today, MPs were told that there was enough supply by Environment Secretary George Eustice.

He said: "There isn't a shortage of food; the challenge that we've had is getting food to shelves in time when people have been purchasing more.

"That's why we have taken steps including setting aside delivery curfews so that lorries can run around the clock, relaxing driver hours to ensure the deliveries can take place more frequently, and we are in discussions with other Government colleagues in MHCLG (the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government) around other support that we would deliver locally to get food to those who are self-isolating."