Update
Shoppers urged not to panic buy

Buy photos » The scene in Sainsbury's earlier on Thursday as shoppers stripped shelves of essentials like bread, milk and eggs. Picture by Ian Dipple (s)

SHOPPERS have been urged not to panic buy as supermarkets say deliveries are getting through despite the bad weather.

Shelves were stripped of bread, eggs, fresh milk and vegetables yesterday (Thursday) as people stocked up ahead of the heavy snowfall which has hit the borough.

Trade at Sainsbury's on the Alvechurch Highway was reported to be similar to levels normally only seen in the days before Christmas.

A limit has now been placed on essentials such as bread and milk in a bid to stop people panic buying.

Store manager Sharon Neal said they had received a delivery overnight and all the shelves had been restocked and further deliveries were expected on Saturday and they had no reason to expect they would not get through.

"I expected it to quieten down but it continued throughout Thursday. The levels of trade we experienced surpassed all our expectations," she said.

"We've had a big delivery and all the shelves are restocked. The message is don't panic."

Spar sales assistant Dale Picton from the Batchley Road store said more customers than average had come through the doors, with many topping up their gas and electric cards to ensure they were ready for the weekend.

But Manray Mann from Woodrow's Costcutters said, while they had not seen a massive increase in the number of shoppers, those buying had been spending more money than they usually would.

More milk, bread and other essentials had been ordered ahead of an expected increase in demand. Due to its location within the district centre, staff are expecting residents may find it easier to reach them rather than getting in their cars and travelling further afield.

It was a similar story over the Warwickshire border, with duty manager Christine Lewis at Studley's Co-Op saying double the average amount of customers had come through the doors on Thursday. Customers had reported they were choosing to stock up rather than waiting until the weekend.

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