'Buy only what you need': Italy warned against panic-buying as new restrictions announced
The Local Italy - [email protected]
Published: 2 Nov, 2020 CET.
Updated: Mon 2 Nov 2020 15:04 CET
Italian Agriculture Minister Teresa Bellanova on Monday appealed to the public not to panic buy, as the government announced new restrictions to combat the spread of Covid-19.
"I have been getting reports of queues and crowds outside food stores out of fears of a new lockdown and food-supply problems," Bellanova told reporters.
"I want to reassure everyone that the agri-food chain is absolutely capable of guaranteeing healthy, safe food to the country, as it has over the last few months."
"I invite everyone to buy only what they need, in order to prevent major queues and crowds forming, which are a risk for workers and consumers, and in order to avoid food waste," she said.
The Italian government announced on Monday a range of new rules aimed at stemming the spread of Covid-19 - though it stopped short of announcing a new lockdown.
Shopping centres will be closed at weekends and a nationwide evening curfew will be enforced, the prime minister said.
However supermarkets and other shops deemed essential are allowed to remain open as normal.
Despite some reports of panic-buying among shoppers at the beginning of the lockdown in spring, Italian supermarkets said they did not experience any issues with their supply chains.
Supermarket data showed that Italian shopping habits changed drastically during Italy's two-month spring lockdown, with a dramatic rise in sales of certain items.
Flour, eggs, mozzarella cheese and hair dye were among the most in-demand items among supermarket shoppers in April.
Comments
See Also
"I have been getting reports of queues and crowds outside food stores out of fears of a new lockdown and food-supply problems," Bellanova told reporters.
"I want to reassure everyone that the agri-food chain is absolutely capable of guaranteeing healthy, safe food to the country, as it has over the last few months."
"I invite everyone to buy only what they need, in order to prevent major queues and crowds forming, which are a risk for workers and consumers, and in order to avoid food waste," she said.
The Italian government announced on Monday a range of new rules aimed at stemming the spread of Covid-19 - though it stopped short of announcing a new lockdown.
Shopping centres will be closed at weekends and a nationwide evening curfew will be enforced, the prime minister said.
However supermarkets and other shops deemed essential are allowed to remain open as normal.
Despite some reports of panic-buying among shoppers at the beginning of the lockdown in spring, Italian supermarkets said they did not experience any issues with their supply chains.
Supermarket data showed that Italian shopping habits changed drastically during Italy's two-month spring lockdown, with a dramatic rise in sales of certain items.
Flour, eggs, mozzarella cheese and hair dye were among the most in-demand items among supermarket shoppers in April.
Join the conversation in our comments section below. Share your own views and experience and if you have a question or suggestion for our journalists then email us at [email protected].
Please keep comments civil, constructive and on topic – and make sure to read our terms of use before getting involved.
Please log in here to leave a comment.