Trolley-pushing shoppers queue for supplies at CostCo amid coronavirus crisis

Worried shoppers have rushed to queue up outside of British supermarkets as panic-buying continues to sweep through the country amid the coronavirus outbreak.

Shocking images captured Brits lining up with their trolleys by the side of a road as they waited to grab supplies at the Costco in Chingford, today.

Elsewhere, customers can be seen loading up their vehicle with multiple packs of water, fizzy pop, sugar and toilet roll in Lakeside. 

It comes as panicked Brits continue to strip the shelves across the UK bare of essentials as the number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the nation rises to 1,543, with 36 deaths. 

Supermarkets have urged customers not to panic buy to ensure everyone is adequately supplied.

Worried shoppers form long queues ahead of the opening of a Costco wholesale store in Chingford, today in London

Customers push a trolley full of multiple packs of water, fizzy pop, sugar and toilet roll outside a Costco in Lakeside

Customers push a trolley full of multiple packs of water, fizzy pop, sugar and toilet roll outside a Costco in Lakeside

It comes as panicked Brits continue to strip the shelves (pictured in Ashford, Kent) across the UK bare of essentials as the number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the nation rises to 1,543

It comes as panicked Brits continue to strip the shelves (pictured in Ashford, Kent) across the UK bare of essentials as the number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the nation rises to 1,543

Helen Dickinson, chief executive of the British Retail Consortium, said: ‘In the face of unprecedented demand as a result of coronavirus, food retailers have come together to ask their customers to support each other to make sure everyone can get access to the products they need.’

Sainsbury’s – which has a five-product limit on certain items – emailed millions of its customers yesterday to urge them not to stockpile and insisting there were enough supplies of food and essential items for ‘everyone’. 

Chief executive Mike Coupe wrote: ‘There are gaps on shelves because of increased demand, but we have new stock arriving regularly and we’re doing our best to keep shelves stocked.’

Shoppers were quick to take to Twitter to share their disbelief at the scenes they were witnessing, claiming customers were queuing across car parks to get into the stores

Shoppers were quick to take to Twitter to share their disbelief at the scenes they were witnessing, claiming customers were queuing across car parks to get into the stores

Concerned customers wait outside a Costco this morning in Lakeside, West Thurrock, Essex

Concerned customers wait outside a Costco this morning in Lakeside, West Thurrock, Essex

He continued to urge families to stop hoarding products and added: ‘Please think before you buy and only buy what you and your family need.’

Images taken today across Costcos around the UK showed Brits lining up outside as stores appeared to struggle to deal with the amount of customers rushing through the doors.

Shoppers were quick to take to Twitter to share their disbelief at the scenes they were witnessing, claiming customers were queuing across car parks to get into the stores. 

Supermarkets cracked down on what shoppers can purchase as panic about the coronavirus epidemic created wide-spread stockpiling.

The chaos saw people scrabbling to load up with loo rolls, long-life milk and pasta in a bid to prepare for the worst. 

Trolley-pushing shoppers wearing masks, line up on a road outside the Costco in Chingford, this morning

Trolley-pushing shoppers wearing masks, line up on a road outside the Costco in Chingford, this morning

A man leaves the Costco in Lakeside, West Thurrock, Essex, with plenty of toilet roll

Customers queue up outside the Costco store in Lakeside

A man (pictured left) leaves the Costco in Lakeside, West Thurrock, Essex, with plenty of toilet roll, while other customers (right) queue up outside the store

A woman wears a mask as she waits to get in the Costco in Chingford, while other customers line-up behind her

A woman wears a mask as she waits to get in the Costco in Chingford, while other customers line-up behind her

Tesco – Britain’s biggest supermarket – has rationed the sale of anti-bacterial products, dried pasta, tinned vegetables, toilet paper and tissues to five packs at a time starting online on Sunday morning and in stores on Saturday afternoon.

Waitrose has introduced a limit to products – including hand sanitizer – that can be bought online. 

In Boots, bottles of children’s paracetamol Calpol are being sold at only one at a time.   

Yesterday, a young mother in Glasgow was left in tears after not finding baby milk for her newborn, who was just three days old, Glasgow Live reported.

One customer said: ‘I spoke to a young guy who told me that a woman with a three day old baby was in tears because she couldn’t find powdered milk, it’s just outrageous.’

Anxious shoppers form long queues ahead of the opening of a Costco wholesale store in Chingford this morning

Anxious shoppers form long queues ahead of the opening of a Costco wholesale store in Chingford this morning

Hundreds of people wait to enter the Costco at Lakeside today amid the coronavirus outbreak

Hundreds of people wait to enter the Costco at Lakeside today amid the coronavirus outbreak

Brits continue to panic buy as hundreds wait to be let into the Costco at Lakeside in West Thurrock, Essex, today

Brits continue to panic buy as hundreds wait to be let into the Costco at Lakeside in West Thurrock, Essex, today