World
Stockpiling Depletes Europe’s Supermarket Shelves on Virus Fears
- Spread of cases, urgings from health officials spur hoarding
- European shops see runs on hand sanitizer, canned ravioli
Empty crates at a supermarket in Hanau, Germany, on March 2.
Photographer: Alex Kraus/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
The stockpiling crisis that has hit supermarkets across Asia has spread to Europe as consumers start hoarding groceries and hygiene products amid fears of a coronavirus pandemic.
Grocery stores in Germany and the Netherlands -- where the local phrase for stockpiling is “hamster buying,” as it is akin to the pet rodents stuffing their cheeks with nuts -- face high demand for staples such as toilet paper. Supplies of hand sanitizer gels are rapidly selling out in France and Britain, and the French government is considering capping the price after some retailers were reported to be taking advantage of the demand.