Can’t wait for more Waitrose goodies? (Picture: Getty Images)
It’s nigh on inevitable that you’ll make it to the 11th hour this Christmas period and realise you’ve forgotten to get something from the shop.
Batteries for the kids’ toys. That wine your mother-in-law simply must have. An extra box of mince pies. Whatever you might need, and no matter how stressed, just remember not to take it out on the supermarket staff.
Will your local Waitrose be open if you need to do a last-minute shop? Here’s what we know about their Christmas opening times…
Waitrose Christmas opening hours
Waitrose have provided an official statement on their opening hours on their website.
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Will you need to dash out last minute this Christmas? (Picture: Getty)
In the run-up to Christmas, they advise that most Waitrose shops will be open 7am to 6pm on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve, with some staying open later until 10pm.
Some stores will also stay open later tonight (23 December).
The latest these shops will open will be 11pm for smaller convenience shops and 10pm for big supermarkets.
The majority will close on Christmas Day and Boxing Day, but some Waitrose stores at motorway service stations will be open as they operate 24 hours.
By New Year’s Day, most branches will be open, with expected opening hours of 7am to 10pm, or 11am to 7pm.
However, knowing what goes in to a traditional Christmas pud and all of its more modern variations is not as obvious.
According to Tesco, a third (33 per cent) of Christmas hosts say they’ll cater for an alternative diet on Christmas Day, with just over a fifth of people (21 per cent) revealing that they have vegetarian or vegan guests joining them around the dinner table on December 25.
As a result, knowing what your veggie and vegan guests can and can’t eat during your festive feasts this Christmas is becoming increasingly important – especially with so many fantastic alternative food options out there.
So, is a classic Christmas pudding vegetarian or vegan and what else normally goes into the recipe?
Is Christmas pudding vegetarian?
Traditional Christmas pudding is not always vegetarian because it contains shredded suet.
Suet is the dense, saturated fat that is found around the outside of beef kidneys and is traditionally used in a variety of steamed puddings as well as pastry and mincemeat.
Saturated fat in a packet anyone? (Picture: Ocado)
As suet can be bought in both a vegetarian-friendly form and not, it’s always important to check with whoever made the pudding, or look on the back of the pudding packaging, to see whether the Christmas pudding is a vegetarian one or not.
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The vegetarian friendly version of suet is also widely available. (Picture: Ocado)
Christmas puddings from supermarkets like Tesco, Waitrose and Asda are all suitable for vegetarians.
Is Christmas pudding vegan?
A traditional Christmas pudding, which contains suet and eggs, is absolutely not suitable for vegans – but there are vegan-friendly options out there.
This vegan Christmas pudding recipe is a great alternative to make at home if you want to cater for your vegan guests this Christmas, or you can buy vegan-friendly Christmas puddings from supermarkets including Asda and Waitrose.
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There are many vegan-friendly alternatives in the shops to make catering for everyone easy and straightforward. (Picture: Waitrose)
Does Christmas pudding contain nuts usually?
Christmas puddings traditionally do contain nuts – usually almonds.
However, there are loads of recipes online with ideas on how to make a Christmas pudding without nuts that still tastes amazing and supermarkets such as Morrisons, Asda, Tesco and Waitrose all sell affordable nut-free puddings too.
Does Christmas pudding contain gluten or dairy?
Unfortunately for anyone who is gluten intolerant, traditional Christmas puddings contain a fair amount of gluten, with both flour and breadcrumbs forming key parts of the classic recipe.
Classic Christmas puddings don’t actually contain dairy, with suet, fruit (both fresh and dried), rum, barley wine, sugar and breadcrumbs forming the main pillars of the recipe with some spices, eggs and flour thrown into the mix.
As with any dietary requirement, double check with the person who made the pudding on take a look at the product’s packet before eating if you are lactose intolerant just in case some dairy has made its way into the recipe.
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Cream or brandy butter are a no-go if your guests are lactose intolerant. (Picture: Getty)
Do Christmas puddings go off?
Christmas puddings are delicious reheated and eaten again the next day (and for quite a while after that) if you have any leftover, but as with any perishable food, they will eventually go off.
Shop bought puddings will have a best before date stamped on the packaging.
Make sure the pudding is stored in a cool, dark place or in the fridge in order to preserve it for as long as possible.
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Store Christmas pudding leftovers in the fridge or in an airtight container. (Picture: Getty)
Can you freeze Christmas puddings?
Christmas puddings can be frozen, just make sure it is tightly wrapped around the outside before putting it in the freezer.
Christmas puddings can normally be frozen for up to a year. When you want to eat it again, make sure it has time to thaw and defrost (around 24 hours should suffice) before you steam it a second time to serve.
Although 1 January 2020 is a bank holiday like Christmas Day and Boxing Day, employers do not need to legally shut down their businesses or give their employees paid time off on this date.
This means that despite the bank holiday, some supermarkets, shops and services will be open for business – although their hours may differ from normal.
Take a look below to see when your local supermarket or store might be open on New Year’s Day.
Morrisons
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(Picture: Getty)
Morrisons stores will be open from 9am until 6pm on New Year’s Day, returning to normal opening hours again from January 2 onwards.
Cafes in Morrisons stores will be open from 9am until 3pm on January 1 and Morrisons petrol stations will be open for 12 hours from 8am until 8pm on New Year’s Day.
These timings are correct at time of writing for the majority of Morrisons England and Wales stores, but you are advised to check when your shop will be open on the Morrisons store finder before you visit.
Tesco
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(Picture: Getty)
On New Year’s Day, Tesco Extras, Superstores and Metro stores will be open from 9am to 6pm in England, Wales & Northern Ireland.
Express stores will be open for slightly longer from 8am to 10pm.
In Scotland, Tesco Extras and Superstores will be open from 11am until 6pm on New Year’s Day, while Metro and Express stores will be open 10am until 6pm.
All Tesco petrol stations should be open from 8am until 7pm on New Year’s Day.
For the most accurate opening times for your local Tesco it is recommended that you use Tesco’s store locator.
Sainsbury’s
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(Picture: Getty)
Most Sainsbury’s stores will then open at 9am on New Year’s Day but then close at 7pm but the exact opening times will vary depending on the sore.
Asda stores will all have varying opening hours over the festive period so customers are advised to use the Asda store locator to find the latest information on their nearest store’s opening times on New Year’s Day.
Lidl
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(Picture: Getty)
All Lidl stores will be closed on New Year’s Day, except for stores within the M25. Stores within the M25 will be open from 10am to 7pm on January 1 2020.
Lidl stores will then return to their normal opening hours from Wednesday 2 January 2020.
For information on your nearest Lidl’s opening times use the Lidl store finder to check your local store’s opening hours.
Aldi
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(Picture: Getty)
All Aldi stores will be closed on New Year’s Day without exception. Aldi will be open from 8am until 10pm again on January 2 2020.
For more specific information about your nearest Aldi use the Aldi store finder to check your local store’s opening hours.
Marks and Spencer
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(Picture: Getty)
Although not all M&S stores will be open on New Year’s Day, there are some of their food halls that will be open on January 1 2020.
A number of Waitrose convenience stores will open on New Year’s Day, with average opening hours of 7am – 10pm, or 11am – 7pm.
Waitrose stores in Welcome Break motorway service stations should also be open, as well as Waitrose shops in Shell forecourts – with many of these operating 24 hours.
Waitrose opening hours do vary and they advise customers to check the opening times of individual shops online at waitrose.com using their store locator during the festive period.
Iceland
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(Picture: Getty)
Opening times for Iceland stores vary, but many will be closed on New Year’s Day. Check Iceland’s store locator to double check the exact opening times of your nearest store.
Argos
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(Picture: Getty)
Argos store opening and closing times vary from store to store so it’s best to check their online store locators for the details.
You can find out the exact opening times for your local shop by using the Argos store locator.
Boots
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(Picture: Getty)
Store opening and closing times vary so check the full details on your local shops opening times by using the Boots store locator.
The employee-owned retail group also announced managing director Paula Nickolds would be stepping down (Picture: PA)
John Lewis has warned staff their bonuses are in jeopardy following a disastrous Christmas trading period.
It said ‘profits will be substantially down on last year’ and the board will meet next month to decide whether it is ‘prudent’ to pay them.
The retailer also announced managing director Paula Nickolds will be stepping down.
Ms Nickolds was expected to become the new executive director of brand overseeing both John Lewis and Waitrose.
Her departure comes as the department store revealed a two per cent like-for-like sales slump in the seven weeks to January 5.
She did not immediately comment.
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John Lewis said its board will meet next month to decide whether it is ‘prudent’ to pay its 80,000 partners their annual bonuses (Picture: SIPA USA/PA)
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Ms Nickolds joined the company in 1994 and was expected to be named the new executive director of brand overseeing both divisions of the partnership (Picture: PA)
Chairman Sir Charlie Mayfield, who is also stepping down in February, said: ‘After some reflection on the responsibilities of her proposed new role, we have decided together that the implementation of the future partnership structure in February is the right time for her to move on and she will leave the partnership with our gratitude and best wishes for the future.’
Ms Nickolds was the first woman to become managing director of the partnership after joining in 1994.
She leaves just three months after the managing director of Waitrose also stepped down following a major restructuring.
Sir Mayfield said: ‘At the full year, we expect profits in Waitrose & Partners to be broadly in line with last year.
‘In John Lewis & Partners we will reverse the losses incurred in the first half of the year, but profits will be substantially down on last year. We therefore expect that partnership profit before exceptionals will be significantly lower than last year.’
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The company said the decision on bonuses will depend on ‘profitability, planned investment and maintaining the strength of our balance sheet’ (Picture: PA)
He added: ‘The partnership board will meet in February to decide whether it is prudent to pay a partnership bonus.
‘The decision will be influenced by our level of profitability, planned investment and maintaining the strength of our balance sheet.’
Some of the things you can get in all the deals this week (Picture: Getty/Asda/Aldi/M&S/Tesco)
Valentine’s Day is just over two weeks away and if you haven’t made a restaurant booking yet, how about planning a nice night in with your partner.
Most of the supermarkets are offering a special deal to get a three-course meal and drinks for between £10 and £20.
To help you choose which one you might cook up for a cosy night together, we’ve brought you details of prices, onsale dates and prices of every deal.
There’s even plenty of vegan options on the menus this year so if you and your other half have plant-based diets, you won’t miss out.
The first deal starts next week at Asda but the others will all be on sale in the days before Valentine’s Day and run for a few days afterwards too, so if you aren’t a fan of the holiday, just enjoy a cheap date night.
Co-op Valentine’s Day meal deal
What do you get? One main and two sides, or one main, one side and one dessert
Waitrose is introducing new social distancing measures (Picture: Waitrose)
Waitrose is introducing new measures to enforce social distancing in their stores, including limits on the number of customers in shops and adding stickers guiding people to maintain distance when queuing.
To protect people from coronavirus, Waitrose is backing the Government’s requests for tighter social distancing protocols.
As they provide the essential service of food, Waitrose shops will remain open during the lockdown, and people will be able to leave their homes to pick up groceries – although we’re asked to do this infrequently.
Waitrose branches will now limit the number of customers allowed in at one time. Limits will be specific to each branch based on the number of tills and shop managers will need to use their judgment on when the store is too full to maintain social distancing and when to operate a one in, one out policy.
They will still dedicate the first opening hour to elderly and vulnerable customers and those caring for them and NHS staff will continue to be given priority checkout service.
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The number of customers allowed inside at one time will be limited (Picture: Waitrose)
Marshals will help to manage queues outside shops and remind customers to maintain a distance of two metres apart. There will also be signs and a coned area to help people keep distant.
Inside the stores you’ll spot stickers on the floor – reading ‘Leave space. Leave safe. Help us to protect you’ to ensure customers stay two metres apart while queuing up for checkout. You’ll just need to stand on the stickers to ensure you’re keeping the correct distance away from other customers.
Waitrose is also adding in checkout screens to protect people from infected moisture droplets and introducing special protective visors to create a barrier.
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Stand on the floor stickers when queuing to maintain a two metre distance (Picture: Waitrose)
The store is also encouraging more contactless shopping, advising customers to use the QuickCheck App to reduce the handling of products and speed up checkout with minimal contact. Customers will be asked to go cashless and contactless, too – handily the contactless payment limit will soon be upped to £45.
To avoid stockpiling, Waitrose is only allowing people to buy three of the same grocery item (excluding fresh fruit and veg, Easter treats, beers, wines, cider and spirits) and a maximum of two packs of toilet roll.
Bérangère Michel, Partner & Executive Director, Customer Service John Lewis Partnership said: ‘The health of our Partners and customers has always been our number one priority and we fully support social distancing.
‘While these measures will dramatically change how people shop and interact with others in our stores for the moment – they are absolutely vital to ensure that our customers can shop safely and that our Partners are protected as they go above and beyond to serve shoppers in this time of crisis.’
Waitrose has started to set aside essential items so that NHS workers don’t go short
Waitrose has started to set aside essential and hard-to-find food and toiletry items so that NHS workers don’t go short.
The supermarket chain will hold back products for NHS staff to ensure they have access to buy them no matter the time of the day.
It follows numerous reports from doctors, nurses and healthcare staff, who had struggled to find any fresh produce or essentials after long hospital shifts as the shelves were stripped by coronavirus panic buyers.
Health staff will be given priority access to queues at all Waitrose supermarkets, with a new dedicated till point for frontline workers set up on Monday.
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A sign next to the reserved items (Picture: Twitter/ @AndyCleverCash)
The company’s retail arm John Lewis will also be donating items such as pillows, phone chargers, eye masks and hand cream, as well as 50,000 Easter treats, to hospitals battling the pandemic.
Customer service director Berangere Michel said: ‘Through these steps we want to recognise the tireless work of NHS staff, supporting us all through these unprecedented circumstances.
For all the latest news and updates on Coronavirus, click here.
‘We hope these measures make their life a little easier; our Partners are keen to do something to help, and we are offering this with sincere thanks from us all.’
Backing the government’s plea for social distancing, the supermarket has introduced what it calls ‘a set of strong, new measures’ to help its customers shop safely.
The number of customers allowed in at any one time will be limited so that social distancing can be observed, and a ‘one in, one out’ policy will be operated when it is judged that the shop is at capacity.
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This picture was taken by a shopper earlier today (Picture: Twitter/ @AndyCleverCash)
Customers coming to Waitrose will see marshals who will help to manage queues outside shops and if necessary remind people to respect the two-metre social distancing rule.
Last week the company said it will dedicate the first opening hour to elderly and vulnerable customers and those caring for them.
There will also be ‘safe distance’ floor signage, protective screens at checkouts, and additional security, the supermarket said.
Other shops have also introduced new measure to help the fight against Covid-19.
Morrisons, which has already put up perspex screens, is introducing signage in stores to support social distancing, including floor stickers, posters and banners which will ask customers to keep one trolley distance apart, as well as giving guidance on where to wait and where to queue.
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People observe social distancing while queuing at a Sainsbury’s supermarket at Colton, on the outskirts of Leeds, today (Picture: PA)
Nationwide Building Society has reduced its branch opening hours in response to the crisis, with most branches now opening from 10am until 2pm from Monday to Friday, and 9am until 12pm on Saturday.
Nationwide said there will be a two-metre distance rule between staff and customers at all times, while numbers of people in branches will be restricted to ensure rules around space can be controlled as much as possible.
Where possible, customers are being asked to use online or mobile banking services, particularly those at higher risk.
Sainsbury’s said it is ‘working through the detail’ but expects to restrict the number of people allowed in stores at any one time, and will also be introducing barriers outside to ensure people queue at a safe distance when waiting to get in.
The supermarket said it will also have reminders to keep two metres apart displayed throughout stores, screens at manned checkouts, and will close every other payment point to help keep people apart.
Santander said its branches will remain open where possible, but a number of its more vulnerable workers are currently being advised to stay at home while others are self-isolating.
Due to this, the bank has been unable to open a number of its branches.
Customers queue in the car park waiting to enter a Waitrose in Northwood, north-west London (Picture: Stephen Chung/LNP)
Supermarkets have had the busiest month on record as shoppers stocked up on vital supplies to get them through the coronavirus crisis.
Sales rose by a staggering 20.6% in the last four weeks, and
7.6% in the last 12, beating even Christmas shopping.
Although sales were high in the first two weeks of March,
Britons increased their shopping in the middle of the month, with 88% of
households visiting a supermarket between March 16 and March 19, making an
average of five trips each.
This meant 42 million extra shopping trips in only four days, according to new data from Kantar.
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Sainsbury’s has introduced protective screens at checkouts due to coronavirus (Picture: Rex)
Shoppers have tended to focus on buying supplies more
regularly, rather than massively increasing the amount they buy per trip.
But the trolleys have been filling up more as well. The average household increased its spending by £62.92 over the last four weeks, with shoppers in London spending a quarter more than they usually do.
For all the latest news and updates on Coronavirus, click here
It comes as a Cabinet minister said people should only leave
their home to go shopping once a week during lockdown measures.
Transport Secretary Grant Schapps said Britons should only buy the essentials in their ‘once-weekly’ trip to the supermarket.
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Shoppers are now queueing to get into supermarkets two metres apart from each other (Picture: Reuters)
The official coronavirus guidance issued by the Government
does not set out how often people are allowed to leave their home to go
shopping, but recommends that it is ‘as infrequent as possible’.
Mr Shapps acknowledged there had been ‘teething problems’
but said people should follow the rules.
‘People know the rules that have been set, try and shop just once a week,’ he told the BBC.
Staff say they will have to ‘pay back’ any time taken off if they self-isolate (Picture: AFP)
Staff at Waitrose have been told they will have to ‘pay back’ time taken off if they self-isolate due to coronavirus, a whistleblower has claimed.
An anonymous worker told the Sunday National that staff with underlying health problems who stay at home to reduce their chances of contracting coronavirus have been told they will be made to pay up to two weeks of the work they’ve missed.
She claimed that this applied to those staying at home to protect a family member and said she feared staff who could not afford to stay at home might come in and spread the virus to members of the public.
The worker told the National: ‘My biggest concern around this is that really vulnerable people will not self-isolate or shield, and those who need to self-isolate due to family illness will put society as a whole at risk due to these punitive measures.
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Workers say over 1400 members of staff at John Lewis, which is a partner of Waitrose, have been furloughed on full pay (Picture: James McCauley/REX)
‘Shoppers could be put at risk if we have partners with sick spouses or children coming into the stores.’
Almost 1,400 staff at John Lewis, which is a partner of Waitrose, have been furloughed on full pay for the duration of the crisis. The whistleblower said that complaints had been raised with management about the approach Waitrose has taken.
She argued that she felt she needed to speak out as it was important for the public to know the company ‘had a risky policy in place’.
A spokesperson for Waitrose said the company was asking staff to ‘time bank where possible’.
They said: ‘We understand that isn’t possible for everyone so each case will be looked at on an individual basis and discussed with their manager.
‘The health of our partners is our absolute priority.
‘We have provided guidance to partners who may have a suppressed immune system to check with their primary healthcare professional regarding their specific needs before discussing work adjustments with their manager.’
For My Quarantine Routine, he explains how he spent 4 April – his last day at Waitrose.
9 am
I arrive at Waitrose – a beautiful, sunny day, and working in Meanwood is especially nice because it has huge windows where the light floods in, so I make the most of that when traveling the escalator.
First job is to check in, get the apron and gloves on, and then see what jobs need doing for the day. To begin with, like most days, it’s supporting with the ambient delivery.
I take a cage full of ingredients like Miso Paste and Dashi, which feels like a win because the world food ingredients is always my favourite supermarket aisle. This keeps me busy for few hours.
11 am
After I’ve worked this cage, a manager asks me and Amelia, my colleague and right hand woman in home design who I’ve been lucky enough to keep working with, if we’ll put together some care packages for the vulnerable in the Leeds community.
We grab a trolley each and spend time pulling some daily essentials, and of course throw in some little treats too.
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Wil making up some care packages in store (Picture: Wil Law)
12 pm
Midway through this we see one of Amelia’s home design customers who is a doctor and has come shopping after a night shift. After a little chat at a distance, we decide to gift her a bottle of wine, which makes her a tad emotional.
1 pm
It’s lunchtime already. Waitrose has been offering all partners free cooked lunches during this time and they’re amazing. I’ve been vegan for four years, and the guys in Meanwood have been so accommodating with that too so, once again, I feel well looked after.
2 pm
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Out making deliveries (Picture: Wil Law)
After lunch Amelia goes off to deliver some of the care packages, but I have to step back into home design mode briefly as I have a call about a new project for John Lewis – virtual styling appointments, working from home, which starts on Monday.
I’m one of ten partners chosen to offer these appointments. I tuck myself into a cleaning cupboard in the back, and we chat about the ins and outs of this new service.
3 pm
Once the call is over, I head back on to the shop floor to support again with shelf stacking and ‘facing up’, which is the technical term for making the store look presentable.
Midway through this, I get asked if I can marshall the queues coming into the store – a one person out, one person in policy, to keep it a safe shopping space. I do this for half an hour, and have some lovely interactions with shoppers during this time.
4 pm
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Wil has learnt to drive one of the delivery trucks for his new role (Picture: Wil Law)
After queue control, Amelia is back and we have a quick catch up and then we’re asked to deliver a load of food which Meanwood has chosen to donate to a local project, helping feed the community.
A few weeks ago I took a test to drive the big Waitrose delivery vans, so I could support deliveries during high demand, and it’s time to get back behind the wheel again.
I put on my high-vis, grab the keys and head out to do the drop. Never in my life did I imagine myself driving a vehicle this size and I’m pretty proud to say that I’ve become quite confident with it.
Having said that, the reverse parking back in the Waitrose car park on my return becomes a bit of a struggle, and I have to get one of the pros to manoeuvre it back into place.
5.30 pm
By the time we’re back in store, it’s almost time to clock off, which feels a bit weird on this occasion because I know it’s my last time working here.
It’s only been a few weeks, but it feels like a new norm, and I’ll be sad to not see the faces I’m used to seeing every day, especially Amelia who I’m now not going to see for some time.
On my way out, I manage to squeeze in a shop and treat myself to a new favourite, the Waitrose No.1 Rye and Wheat Dark Sourdough Bread.
Driving home I reflect how so much has changed in such a short time period. It’s a bit hard to process, but all I know is that I feel so grateful to have been kept busy by working at Waitrose.
In my new role too, I know my days will be full with human interaction via screen which, as I live on my own, I now appreciate as absolutely essential to keeping happy.
Most of the main supermarkets are open on Friday as usual, but some will be running different opening hours.
There’s also all the social distancing measures to take into account – which might mean queues at some stores – as well as the special shopping hours for the elderly and for NHS workers.
Here’s a rundown of the supermarkets remaining open…
Tesco
Tesco is operating with its usual hours over the bank holiday weekend.
This means that Superstores, Express outlets and Metro stores will open at either 6am or 7am and will close at either 10pm or 11pm.
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Tesco stores will be open as usual (Picture: Getty Images)
However, opening times may vary between branches, so it’s worth using the Tesco online store finder to find your local store.
It’s also worth pointing out that Tesco holds an hour for elderly and vulnerable customers between 9am and 10am on Friday mornings in larger stores.
Co-op
Most Co-op stores will be open as usual over the bank holiday weekend, but some times may vary. Customers can use the Co-op online locater to check.
Co-op also has dedicated shopping hours for vulnerable customers, carers and NHS workers. These take place between 8am -9am from Monday to Saturday and from 10am-11am on Sundays.
Sainsbury’s
Sainsbury’s stores will run with their regular opening times on Friday 8 May, with large stores open from 8am to 10pm and smaller express stores open from 7am to 9pm.
Shopping hours for vulnerable and healthcare workers will take place as usual. These run from 8am-9am on Fridays for elderly and disabled customers and 7:30am-8am on Saturday for NHS and social care workers.
Morrisons
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Most Morrisons stores will be unaffected (Picture: George Wood/Getty Images)
Opening hours at Morrisons will largely be unaffected by the bank holiday.
As always, times may vary from store to store, so customers can find their local branch using the Morrisons locator tool.
Morrisons will continue its NHS staff hour on Friday and Saturday from 6am to 7am.
Asda
Large Asda superstores will be open from 8am to 10pm, with the designated shopping hour for NHS and carers on Friday running between 8am and 9am.
Most Waitrose stores will be open from 8am to 8pm on Friday, and with usual hours on Saturday and Sunday.
As always, times may vary depending on the store, so customers should double check using the Waitrose locator service.
M&S
M&S will be open as usual on the Friday bank holiday – from 8am to 7pm. But customers are advised to check their local branch using the M&S store locator service.
The first hour of shopping on a Friday is dedicated to NHS and emergency services workers and this will take place as usual.
Lidl
For May, Spring and Summer Bank holidays, stores will be open as normal from 8am until 10pm, according to the Lidl website.
This is Anisa Omar, a 21-year-old Waitrose worker (Picture: Jamie Hawkesworth)
British Vogue is breaking with their usual approach to who goes on their magazine covers – a space normally reserved for A-list celebrities and supermodels.
In the age of a pandemic, the iconic magazine has devoted its cover for the July 2020 issue to honour key workers who have been working tirelessly during the lockdown.
Gracing the front cover is Anisa Omar, 21, who works as a supermarket assistant at Waitrose in King’s Cross.
She graces the magazine along with two other frontline workers who appear on a special gatefold cover.
The three different versions of the magazine will feature Anisa, London Overground train driver Narguis Horsford, and midwife Rachel Millar – who will each take a turn on the front.
The decision to use non-celebrities for the cover was taken by editor-in-chief Edward Enninful OBE.
‘This moment in history has seen society shift its attention on to some of the people who are not usually afforded the spotlight,’ he explained online.
‘I am proud that British Vogue’s July issue is able to provide a special moment of thanks to the NHS and everyone on the frontline saving lives every day.
‘Our trio of cover stars represent the millions of people in the UK who, at the height of the pandemic, in the face of dangers large and small, put on their uniforms and work clothes and went to help people.’
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One of the other cover stars is Narguis Horford, an Overground train driver (Picture: Jamie Hawkesworth)
We caught up with Anisa to see what it’s like being on the cover of one of the most prominent magazines in the world.
She tells Metro.co.uk: ‘It’s been quite a strange experience going from someone who is quite overlooked to now being identified as a key worker.
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Midwife Rachel Millar is also one of the three key workers on the cover (Picture: Jamie Hawkesworth)
‘At the end of the day, I get up, come to work, do my job, and try and help people. It’s been lovely to see the kindness the customers have been showing all of us, it definitely feels as if we are all in this together.’
Also included in the tribute is the person photographing them – fashion photographer Jamie Hawkesworth, who has previously shot models including Kate Moss and Gigi Hadid.
Jamie spent two weeks photographing frontline workers for the historic edition, which includes portraits of NHS staff, delivery drivers, teachers and MPs across 20 pages in the issue.
Being photographed by Jamie was a huge deal for Anisa, who has two siblings that also work in other Waitrose branches.
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Two of Anisa’s siblings also in Waitrose branches (Picture: Mark Mackenzie /John Lewis Partnership)
She adds: ‘I don’t think it will really all sink in for a while, and maybe not until I see the magazine displayed as I’m going about my business and working.
‘Jamie was so lovely to me and made me feel completely at ease, even if I was a little nervous and had to do my own makeup!’
For Anisa, working during the pandemic hasn’t been too stressful and her colleagues have made it easier.
She says: ‘My shifts have been the same, even if my responsibilities can be a bit different day-to-day.
‘We have screens and gloves and masks you can wear so I feel safe. I was a bit worried about it all at first but actually my colleagues were the thing that kept me going.’
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Anisa says working during the pandemic has been okay so far (Picture: Mark Mackenzie /John Lewis Partnership)
Anisa says that it’s nice to feel appreciated as she and her key worker siblings work to keep the country running.
She hopes it’ll last in the future.
‘I hope the country will have a new appreciation for supermarket workers but I think that goes for everyone in all different jobs. The kindness we’ve seen over the past few months have been lovely and I hope it continues.’
The new issue of Vogue will be available from Friday 5 June.
Charli and her new pets (Picture: Charli Lello/Facebook)
We’ve all taken up time-intensive hobbies during lockdown to keep ourselves entertained.
One woman has gone a bit further and given life to some duck eggs.
Charli Lello, from Hertfordshire, bought Clarence Court eggs from Waitrose to see if she could get them to hatch.
After being furloughed, the 29-year-old had some time on her hands and wanted to see if she could get new pet ducklings.
A month after putting them in the incubator, the Braddock White ducklings started emerging from their shells.
And now Charli has three new ducklings, Beep, Peep, and Meep, who she says will live ‘a very happy life’ with her pet chicken.
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The eggs she bought to hatch (Picture: Waitrose)
A Waitrose spokesperson explained that fertilised eggs are safe to eat and are no different from the unfertilised eggs we eat.
Charli says she got the idea from Facebook where she’s seen supermarket quail eggs being hatched.
‘While I was in Waitrose, I saw the duck eggs and thought maybe they would work as well,’ Charli explained to BBC news.
‘I was so excited for them to hatch but I still had in the back of my mind that these are supermarket eggs.
‘They have been collected, bashed around on a delivery truck, then rattled around on a trolley onto a shelf, picked up and put down by who knows how many people, so they still might not go all the way.’
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This is Beep, Peep and Meep (Picture: Charli Lello/Facebook)
Charli is excited to spend her lockdown time with Beep, Peep and Meep and says this is the perfect time to be at home as she can tend to them.
She added: ‘The only reason I could try was because I am currently furloughed and have the time to raise them to an age where they won’t need me all day. Under normal circumstances it wouldn’t have been possible or fair on them.’
A spokesperson for Clarence Court Farms noted how rare it is to hatch their supermarket eggs.
They said: ‘It is a feat of remarkably slim odds that a duckling has been hatched. But we acknowledge that it’s not impossible.’
Waitrose boss James Bailey promised to never sell products that don’t meet current standards (Picture: Getty Images/iStockphoto)
Waitrose has vowed to never sell chlorine washed chicken or hormone injected beef if the UK strikes a post-Brexit trade deal with America.
Fears have been raised over food products produced under lower welfare and hygiene standards making their way across the pond now Britain has left the European Union.
Earlier this month Trade Secretary Liz Truss told MPs food standards would not be compromised for the sake of a trade deal. But Boris Johnson had previously played down criticisms of chlorine washing, claiming the process is used by EU farmers to treat vegetables and that it is the best way to tackle salmonella.
The EU has said it is not worried about chlorine itself but said the technique could be used to compromise for other poor hygiene practices. Weighing in on the debate in Waitrose’s Weekend magazine, supermarket boss James Bailey said: ‘Many observers – including consumer, environmental and farming groups as well as a large number of Parliamentarians – are expressing real unease. They believe that in an effort to win a trade deal for the UK, we could see the standards British farmers have worked so hard to reach and uphold, sacrificed.
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Earlier this year Boris Johnson said EU farmer were already using chlorine to wash vegetables (Picture: Getty Images)
‘In evidence, they point to a substantial number of examples where American standards fall well below our own: from lower-welfare chicken to hormone treated-beef and the extensive use of antibiotics.
‘It would be simply wrong to maintain high standards at home yet import food from overseas that has been produced to lower standards. We would be closing our eyes to a problem that exists in another part of the world and to animals who are out of our sight and our minds. I feel sure customers will share our view.
‘Whatever happens, let me give you our commitment. We promise we will never sell any Waitrose product that does not meet our own high standards. This promise is regardless of the outcome of any trade deal. It is our promise to you. It is our promise to our farmers. It is our promise to the nation.’
The supermarket’s agricultural manager Jake Pickering said the company would be writing to its customers and farmers to let them know ‘We will never sell any products that do not meet our own high standards’.
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Waitrose have vowed never to sell chlorinated chicken or hormone treated beef whatever the outcome of a US trade negotiation (Picture: REX)
Hormone-injected beef and chlorinated chicken are currently banned under EU regulations, but once the Brexit transition period is over at the start of the next year campaigners fear they could end up in restaurants and shops.
A poll of more than 2,000 people carried out by consumer group Which? said 86% of Brits were worried that weakened trade standards after Brexit could lead to an influx of currently banned products being sold in the country.
According to the survey 74% of people from across all socio-economic groups objected to importing food produced under US methods prohibited in the EU.
Senior Government ministers have said chlorinated chicken will not be on the menu in any future trade deal. But as US officials continue to put pressure on Britain, Tory backbenchers have raised fears of the Prime Minister performing a U-turn.
In early June the Telegraph that ministers were once again open to the prospect of selling lower standard US goods but under a ‘dual tariff’ system to protect UK farmers from competition.
Trade Secretary Liz Truss was said to want to gradually lower these tariffs to zero over the next decade. When questioned by journalists during a briefing, Johnson’s spokesperson refused to deny these reports, saying: ‘The position is that the UK will decide how we set and maintain our own standards and regulations and we have been clear that we will not compromise on our high standards of food safety and animal welfare.
‘The UK’s food regulators will continue to provide independent advice to ensure that all food imports comply with those high safety standards.’
Yesterday farming leaders welcomed the Government’s pledge to set up an independent trade and agriculture commission amid calls to protect UK food standards.
In a letter to National Farmers’ Union president Minette Batters, Liz Truss sought to reassure figures in the industry that trade deals must not compromise on high standards of food safety and animal welfare.
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Concerns have been raised that chlorine washing allows for contimination elsewhere in the production process (Picture: Getty Images/iStockphoto)
She said the new time-limited and advisory commission should focus on policies to adopt in free trade agreements so UK farmers do not face unfair competition and so current standards are no undermined.
It should look at reflecting consumer interests, and those of developing countries, how to work with the World Trade Organisation to help push higher animal welfare standards across the world, and how to develop trade policy that opens up new export opportunities for UK agricultural industry, she added.
Describing the move as a ‘hugely important development’, Ms Batters said: ‘I am very pleased that the Government is taking concrete action to address the challenges of safeguarding our high food and farming standards by agreeing to set up a trade and agriculture commission, something we first called for over 18 months ago.
‘We look forward to working with Government and other stakeholders in the days ahead on the commission’s terms of reference, to ensure that its work is genuinely valuable.
‘In particular, it will be vital that Parliament is able to properly consider the commission’s recommendations and can ensure Government implements them effectively.’
A Department for International Trade spokesman said: ‘This Government has been clear it will not sign a trade deal that will compromise our high environmental protection, animal welfare and food safety standards. We are a world leader in these areas and that will not change.
‘Chlorinated chicken and hormone-injected beef are not permitted for import into the UK. This will be retained through the EU Withdrawal Act and enshrined in UK law at the end of the transition agreement.’
Several pubs and restaurants will be passing on Rishi Sunak’s VAT cuts to customers from today
Pubs and restaurants across the country are offering discount on food and drink from today after several big chains opted to pass on Rishi Sunak’s VAT cut to customers.
The Chancellor has reduced VAT from 20% to 5% for businesses in the hospitality and tourism industries, in a move to help them bounce back from the coronavirus crisis.
KFC, Weatherspoons, Starbucks and McDonald’s are among the big names who have confirmed they will be reducing prices on popular menu options as a result of the eased tax burden.
McDonald’s has announced that it has recommended that franchisees reduce prices on classic menu items, including 50p off its breakfast meals. From Wednesday morning, diners can also enjoy a 40p reduction on Extra Value Meals, 30p off Happy Meals, and cuts to the McCafe coffee range.
McNuggets, Big Macs, and Quarter Pounders with cheese will also be 20p cheaper.
KFC has slashed the price of its Boneless Bucket to celebrate Rishi Sunak’s VAT cut
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Chicken McNuggets, Happy Meals and the Quarter Pounder with Cheese at McDonald’s are set to come down in price (Picture: PA)
Items such as desserts and cold drinks will remain the same price, and prices will not be dropped on McDelivery services. Customers have been told to check prices, because many McDonald’s restaurants are franchised, meaning the franchisee has the ultimate say over prices.
Fast-food lovers will enjoy similar discounts at KFC. The fried chicken chain is slashing the price of its boneless bucket until Sunday as a result of the VAT cut, with a ‘Boneless Budget Bucket’ comprising ten mini fillets costing £4.99 instead of the usual £10.
KFC will also offer £1 off sharing buckets and 50p off other menu items.
On Tuesday, Starbucks announced it will pass on the 15% discount on coffee in stores while outlets with Starbucks licences can pass on whatever reductions suit their business.
Pret has also confirmed it will pass on the Chancellor’s VAT cut to customers from today for hot drinks and Friday on hot food. It means a takeaway latte will now cost £2.40, down from £2.75, and an eat-in tuna mayo baguette will be cut from £3.60 to £3.15.
Alcohol is excluded from the VAT cut, but it will apply to food and non-alcoholic drinks from restaurants, pubs, bars and cafes across the UK for six months.
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Wetherspoons said it will use the tax cut to offer lower prices on food and drink (Picture:
PA)
Wetherspoons says it will use the VAT cut savings to reduce prices on food items, coffee and soft drinks from July 15. Although the tax cut doesn’t apply to alcohol, the pub giant said it will reduce the price of some ales as a result.
The chain produced posters praising Chancellor Rishi Sunak as a ‘legend’ after the decision to reduce VAT was announced. Messages including ‘Sunak’s Specials’ and ‘Dishi Rishi’ will be displayed alongside details of the lower prices, which come into effect from today.
Wetherspoons founder and chairman Tim Martin said: ‘Wetherspoons will invest all the proceeds of the VAT reduction in lower prices, spread across both bar and food products, with the biggest reductions on real ale.
‘Wetherspoons has campaigned for tax equality between pubs, restaurants and supermarkets for many years.
‘Supermarkets pay no VAT on food sales and pubs pay 20 per cent.
‘These tax differences have helped supermarkets to subsidise their selling prices of beer, wine and spirits, enabling them to capture about half of pubs’ beer sales, for example, in the past 40 years.
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Although the VAT cut does not apply to booze, Wetherspoons will be reducing the price of some ales (Picture: PA)
‘A VAT reduction will help pubs and restaurants reverse this trend – creating more jobs, helping high streets and eventually generating more tax income for the government.’
VAT is a tax paid by businesses on the items or services they sell and is typically passed on to consumers in the price they pay for the goods.
The Treasury estimates households could save £160 a year on average, but hospitality and tourism businesses will not be forced to pass on the virus VAT cut to customers.
Many companies are expected to use the tax relief to shore up finances hit by the lockdown, rather than cut prices.
Mexican restaurant chain Wahaca said it would pass on the cut in full to diners from Wednesday. This means a fish taco dish previously priced at £6.95 has come down to £6.10. Waitrose also confirmed it would reduce prices in its cafes.
But Pizza Hut and Centre Parcs are two firms who have said they were studying the detail of the cut and working out how to respond to it.
Meanwhile, The National Trust said it was ‘reviewing the announcement’, while The National Gallery said that tickets to its Titian exhibition would not fall in price following the cut, because it had ‘lost a lot of money as a result of the lockdown’.
Merlin Entertainments, which runs Legoland, Alton Towers, Thorpe Park, Warwick Castle, Madame Tussauds and many others, said the VAT cut was a ‘welcome step’ but it remains unclear if it has cut the cost of tickets to its attractions.
Attractions which are run as charities, such as London Zoo, will not be affected as there is no VAT on their ticket prices.
IHG Group, which runs Holiday Inn and Crowne Plaza, said it would be passing on the cut to corporate bookings, but as a franchised business it could not confirm that all of its outlets would reduce prices.
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Starbucks is one of several big chains passing on Rishi Sunak’s VAT cut to customers (Picture: Getty)
Best Western, which operates 300 hotels, said it would be reducing the price of rooms and food on bookings made from Wednesday. However, anyone who had already booked a room will be subject to the old rate of 20%.
Chief executive of Visit Britain, Malcolm Bell, said Mr Sunak’s move was to support business, not help holidaymakers.
He told the BBC tourists had called firms and asked for 15% off their holiday booking.
‘My message to customers is this is to help the businesses, not to reduce the cost of their holiday. It is only a temporary relaxation up to January,’ he said.
The Treasury said they want businesses to pass on the benefit to customers ‘if they can’.
A statement added: ‘But we recognise that many of these businesses have been closed and without income for months, and decisions on prices are ultimately for businesses rather than the government.’
A woman who bought a box of duck eggs from Waitrose popped them into an incubator as an experiment to see if they would hatch.
Lauren Barton, 26, went to her local Waitrose last month and picked up the six-pack of Clarence Court Braddock Whites Free Range Duck Eggs, for £2.59.
English teacher Lauren put half of the eggs into an incubator she bought on Amazon to see if she could hatch a duckling.
And to Lauren’s delight, 28 days later, one of the eggs in the incubator started to show cracks – and after an intense 48 hours of hatching, a tiny little duckling waddled out.
Lauren, from Ipswich, Suffolk, has named the fluffy little chick Darwin – and says it is just like having a dog.
She said: ‘He’s gorgeous. He’s so friendly, he loves us completely.
‘He’s like a little dog – he’s so loyal and just follows us around everywhere, and wants attention all the time.
‘I think he thinks he’s a human, or we’re ducks.’
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Lauren didn’t think the experiment would work (Picture: James Linsell-Clark/ SWNS)
The incubator cost Lauren £20 and combined with the price of the eggs, her new little pet was pretty cheap.
Lauren, who teaches at Copleston High School in Ipswich, Suffolk, said she got the idea after reading another news story about someone who had hatched supermarket eggs recently.
She said: ‘No-one in my family thought it was a good idea, because they said ducks are messy and hard work. My partner really didn’t want me to do it.
‘But I loved the idea, so I went ahead and did it.
‘The incubation was actually quite laborious, it’s quite intense. It was certainly an experiment, but it was well worth it.’
For the experiement, the eggs spent a month in the incubator and Lauren had to turn them three times a day every day, and then mist the eggs towards the end to keep their temperature right.
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Besotted (Picture: James Linsell-Clark/ SWNS)
Lauren bought the smallest size of incubator she could find – meaning she could only fit three of the eggs into it, and had to throw away the other three eggs.
She added: ‘I was shocked when I saw that two of the three I put into the incubator were viable and were growing. We weren’t really expecting it to work.’
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She tried the experiment with three eggs until one hatched (Picture: James Linsell-Clark/ SWNS)
And even though Darwin was the only duck that made it in the end, Lauren said that she had to wait a long 48 hours for him to emerge – and that she didn’t think he was going to survive.
She said: ‘On the day that he started cracking, it was my last day of teaching at school before the summer and I went out the next night with some of the other staff.
‘I had to cut it short to go home and check on the duckling.
‘I stayed up really late that night, and then went to sleep for a few hours and woke up again and in the end I had to help him out a little bit.
‘They say you’re supposed to leave them to break through the egg themselves, but I did help him along a bit – and then there he was.’
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This is Darwin (Picture: James Linsell-Clark/ SWNS)
She joked: ‘I suppose it proves that Waitrose eggs are free range and are doing what they should be.’
Lauren is now besotted with little Darwin and says she and her fiance are planning on keeping him as a pet even after he grows.
‘He’s part of the family now,’ she said.
Lauren also has a cat and two rabbits – none of which seem perturbed by the new arrival to the house.
Peep the greasy spoon accessories to make this look ‘normal’ (Picture: Waitrose)
Many people do things not because they should, but because they can.
Arguably, Heston Blumenthal is one of those people, who is famed for his madcap culinary creations that often verge on ridiculous.
His collaboration with Waitrose includes cherry bakewell vodka and bloody mary prawn cocktail among other things, with most of them presenting a twist on an old classic. And this new addition is certainly a twist.
Looking for a way to create the perfect on-the-go breakfast, Heston decided to add all the elements into a breakfast sandwich. But when we say all the elements, we don’t just mean bacon and sausage.
The sandwich features baked bean flavoured bread sitting either side of smokey crumbed sausage, smoked bacon, free-range sliced egg, cold pressed mayonnaise, tomatoes, and cannellini beans in sauce – all finished off with a coffee-flavoured mushroom ketchup.
I’ve had questions about Heston since the time somebody came up to me in a pub and accused me of basing my whole life and everything about me on him
Who needs a latte when you can just have it mixed in with your red sauce for breakfast, eh?
The creation – which launched in stores today – normally costs £3.80, but is currently £2.85 due to an introductory offer.
Heston said of it: ‘There are many reasons why some dishes become our favourites, they can be complicated master pieces of culinary delights. But there are times when all you want is a Full English.
Heston’s new English breakfast sandwich at Waitrose. “…between baked bean flavoured bread is smokey crumbed sausage, smoked bacon, free-range sliced egg, cold pressed mayonnaise, tomatoes, and cannellini beans in sauce…finished off with a coffee-flavoured mushroom ketchup.” pic.twitter.com/DaQyb05bOG
‘So I looked at how to satisfy that craving, any time, anywhere and I realised the solution was a sandwich. If you’re looking for the best brunch-on-the-run, or just wondered what it might be like between two slices of bread, you’re going to love this. It’s even got the coffee in there.’
As you may be able to imagine, the response on social media has been fairly lukewarm (to put it mildly).
One tweeter wrote, ‘Heston needs to grow up, I’m sorry’, while another said, ‘Heston Blumenthal continues to prove there’s no classic he can’t ruin. Coffee and mushroom ketchup? WHY? Ugh I hate him.’
Us Brits are fairly precious about our breakfasts – don’t even get us started arguing with Americans about baked beans – so it’s not totally surprising.
Consultant chef at Waitrose Will Torrance tweeted in defence of the sandwich, though, saying: ‘It’s DELICIOUS!’
Be that as it may, Waitrose’s feed has now been plagued with accusations of pretentiousness and questions over what cold-pressed mayonnaise actually is.
Perhaps Heston will need to win us round with something a little less Willy Wonka of the local caff.
Waitrose is just the latest supermarket to bin the non-recyclable plastic (Picture: Matt Cardy/Getty Images)
Waitrose is the latest supermarket to wage a war on plastic, by removing the plastic wrapping that holds multibuy tins together.
Last year, it had a successful trial and is making the decision permanent. From now on, you can either buy loose cans or buy a cardboard sleeve of your favourite Waitrose tins.
It might not sound like a major move but it really is; Waitrose estimates that it’ll save 45 tonnes of plastic waste a year from ditching the wrapping. That’s massive.
‘Our customers expect us to keep tackling plastic, which includes eliminating single use shrink wrap on our multi-buys,’ said Claire Mitchell, canned food buyer at Waitrose & Partners.
‘This is a significant step towards our plan to phase out non-recyclable plastic from all our packaging by 2021.’
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Pointless plastic is hugely polluting (Picture: Geoff Robinson)
It’s not just the tins that are getting the nude treatment either; Waitrose Essential tissues will no longer be held together by wrapping – which will save a further 4.49 tonnes of plastic a year.
Of course, Waitrose isn’t the first supermarket to do this with their multi-buy cans. Tesco announced back in January that they were going to do the same, while Morrisons last month became the first supermarket to remove all plastic bags in favour of trialling reusable paper options.
Tesco’s commitment to ditching the wrapping means that a whopping 350 tonnes of plastic a year will be removed and it’s working with tin giants Heinz and Green Giant to ensure that even branded products are plastic-free.
A BBC report found that Tesco had by far the most pointless plastic packaging on branded and own-brand products in store, followed by Asda and Sainsbury’s. The supermarket with the least plastic? M&S.
The top eight UK supermarkets produce a huge amount of plastic waste, with the Environmental Investigation Agency and Greenpeace claiming that they were responsible for 58.3 billion pieces of plastic in 2019 alone.
Panic buying has returned to some supermarkets after limits were put on essential items (Picture: Bav Media)
Attempts by supermarkets to reassure customers they don’t need to panic buy has not put off some shoppers from filling their trolleys over the weekend.
Although nowhere near the levels seen back at the start of lockdown in March, shelves have been stripped of items in some shops amid fears about the impact of more coronavirus restrictions.
It’s despite brands like Morrisons and Tesco reintroducing limits on the number of key products a shopper can buy for the first time since lockdown began.
Customers took to social media to report difficulties getting hold of items like toilet paper, pasta and flour at their local stores – and some reported shops appeared busier than usual with longer queues.
One person wrote: ‘Went to @asda earlier and guess what? Not a single packet of toilet roll on the shelves.. again!’ Another said: ‘Panic buying is sorta happening again. Toliet tissue, water, pasta, rice empty on supermarket shelves. Can’t get paracetamol for headaches.’
It’s also affected home deliveries with people reporting problems getting a convenient slot in the next two weeks. One woman wrote on Twitter: ‘There were 14 items out of stock in our Asda order. I honestly can’t get over that. Selfish people are back to panic buying again by the look of it.’
The boss of Waitrose James Bailey, told The Sunday Times that there was ‘enough food to go round’ but if panic buying takes off again ‘some will inevitably lose out.’
He said: ‘If one person fills their house will all the packs of pasta they can get their hands on, it inevitably means somebody else will go without. They could be the most vulnerable or key workers.’
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Empty shelves where toilet rolls are usually stocked at a Sainsburys in Wandsworth on Saturday September 26, 2020 (Picture: PA)
Supermarkets have beefed up their supply chains and made more home delivery slots available, in the hope of avoiding the sort of stock shortages seen early in the pandemic.
NHS workers were left in tears when they struggled to get hold of essential goods after shoppers stockpiled en masse.
Food stores have never been forced to close during the entire outbreak and the latest restrictions place no barriers on people’s ability to get to the shops.
Panic-buying seems to have affected areas in Wales that are currently under lockdown. Cardiff and Swansea will join much of the south of the country when new restrictions come into force at 6pm.
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Shelves wait to be restocked in Wandsworth on Saturday September 26 (Picture: PA)
People are not allowed to leave the areas ‘without a reasonable excuse’ or visit friends and family in their homes. An ‘extended household’ scheme, which allowed people to form bubbles with loved ones, has been ended.
Pontypridd MP Alex Davies-Jones tweeted to say she had heard reports of panic buying in supermarkets in her constituency while pictures emerged of an Asda in Cardiff with empty shelves.
The restrictions in Wales follow similar measures which came into place at midnight on Saturday in Wigan, Stockport, Blackpool and Leeds. In total around 17 million people, or a quarter of the UK population, are living under some sort of lockdown.
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Picture dated September 26 shows the toilet roll shelves being emptied on Saturday morning at Tesco in Ely, Cambridgeshire (Picture: Bav Media)
Tesco is limiting items such as flour, dried pasta, toilet roll and anti-bacterial wipes to three per customer and Morrisons announced on Thursday rationing would be introduced on certain items in its stores.
A Tesco spokesperson said: ‘We have good availability, with plenty of stock to go round, and we would encourage our customers to shop as normal.
‘To ensure that everyone can keep buying what they need, we have introduced bulk-buy limits on a small number of products.
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Tesco has introduced limits on certain products (Picture: Bav Media)
‘To help our customers shop safely, we will also have colleagues at the entrances of our larger stores to remind customers about the safety measures we have in place, including the legal requirement to wear a face covering.’
Sainsbury’s and Waitrose have both said in recent days that they currently have no plans to follow suit.
As concerns have grown, the British Retail Consortium (BRC) urged customers to be considerate of others and ‘shop as you normally would’.
Which supermarkets are rationing items as people start panic buying again? (Picture: Getty Images / W8Media / Alamy Live)
Supermarkets have started to introduce buying limits on its stock as fears of panic buying and stockpiling hit the UK.
The main food shopping chains including Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Asda urged customers not to panic buy last week as a second wave of coronavirus threatens to put the country back into lockdown.
Supermarkets say they are better prepared than they were during the first peak of the pandemic and have many more home delivery slots in place to keep up with demand.
Despite this people on social media have reported difficulties getting hold of items like toilet paper, pasta and flour at their local stores – and some reported shops appeared busier than usual with longer queues.
One person wrote: ‘Went to Asda earlier and guess what? Not a single packet of toilet roll on the shelves… again!’
Another said: ‘Panic buying is sorta happening again. Toilet tissue, water, pasta, rice empty on supermarket shelves. Can’t get paracetamol for headaches.’
Metro.co.uk contacted the main supermarket chains to ask whether products are currently being rationed or not – here is what they said. They have all stressed there is currently good availability at stores.
Aldi
There are currently ‘no immediate plans’ to bring in rationing at Aldi.
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Empty shelves where toilet rolls are usually stocked at a Sainsburys in Wandsworth, pictured on Saturday (Picture: PA)
In a letter to customers, Aldi’s chief executive Giles Hurley wrote: ‘I would like to reassure you that our stores remain fully stocked and ask that you continue to shop considerately.
‘There is no need to buy more than you usually would. We have remained open for our customers throughout the pandemic and will continue to have daily deliveries, often multiple times a day, across all of our products.’
It is understood the situation will be monitored on a day-by-day basis.
Asda
Asda has not introduced any product limits in its stores so far.
A representative from Asda told Metro.co.uk: ‘There are no changes from us, we’re not seeing any availability issues so we have not implemented any product limits and we continue to encourage our customers to shop responsibly.’
Co-op
Items have also not been limited at Co-op branches across the country.
‘There are no restrictions on product purchases at the Co-op as customers continue to shop normally,’ a spokesperson said.
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There are concerns of more panic buying as these pictures appeared over the weekend (Picture: Maureen McLean / REX)
A statement read: ‘We have seen some increase in demand for paper products in the last few days, but no evidence of panic buying. Nor should there be.
‘There is plenty of stock in the system and therefore no need for the company to impose official restrictions on purchases.’
Lidl
Lidl has said there are currently no buying limits on its products across the country.
A spokesperson for Lidl said: ‘We want to reassure our customers that we are not currently experiencing any product shortages and have good availability in our stores.
‘We hope all customers remain mindful of others when shopping with us to ensure everyone continues to have access to the products they need.
‘Nonetheless, it is at our store managers’ discretion, should customers start to bulk-buy, to limit the purchasing of specific items at that store.’
Customers are being encouraged to shop as normal to prevent panic buying (Picture: Bloomberg via Getty Images)
A spokesperson said: ‘We are introducing a limit on a small number of key products, such as toilet roll and disinfectant. Our stock levels of these products are good but we want to ensure that they are available for everyone.’
Sainsbury’s
Sainsbury’s said it has ‘good availability’ and isn’t currently rationing products.
A representative from Sainsbury’s told Metro.co.uk: ‘We aren’t currently restricting products. Customers can continue to shop safely and with confidence in our stores, where they will see we have good availability.’
Tesco
Tesco has introduced limits on buying some of its products in bulk.
A Tesco spokesperson said: ‘We have good availability, with plenty of stock to go round, and we would encourage our customers to shop as normal.
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Some supermarkets have reported an increase in demand in products, but say there is still good availability (Picture: AFP via Getty Images)
‘To ensure that everyone can keep buying what they need, we have introduced bulk-buy limits on a small number of products.
‘To help our customers shop safely, we will also have colleagues at the entrances of our larger stores to remind customers about the safety measures we have in place, including the legal requirement to wear a face covering.’
In stores there will be a three-item per customer limit for flour, dried pasta, toilet roll, baby wipes and anti-bacterial wipes. There are additional limits for a small number of products online, such as rice and canned vegetables.
They added face coverings are available for sale at the front of stores.
It comes after Tesco boss Dave Lewis named panic buying ‘unnecessary’ last week, claiming it ‘creates a tension in the supply chain’ that is easily avoided.
Waitrose
A purchase limit on certain items has also been set at Waitrose.
A Waitrose representative said: ‘We are holding good stock levels in all key product areas and we would like to reassure customers that there is no need to worry about buying more than they need.
‘To ensure that customers can get what they need we’ve set a purchase limit on a small number of items including toilet rolls and hand sanitiser for purchases online and in our shops.’
Waitrose boss James Bailey told The Sunday Times there was ‘enough food to go round’ but if panic buying takes off again ‘some will inevitably lose out’.
