Britons told not to stockpile food ahead of January

Britons told not to stockpile food ahead of January

Publishedduration13 minutes ago

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Households have been warned not to stockpile food and toilet roll ahead of 1 January when the UK stops trading under EU rules.

On Sunday, the UK and the EU agreed to extend a deadline aimed at reaching a deal on post-Brexit trade.

The British Retail Consortium (BRC) said ongoing uncertainty made it harder for firms to prepare for the New Year.

But it said shops had plenty of supplies and shoppers must not buy more food than usual.

"Retailers are doing everything they can to prepare for all eventualities on 1 January - increasing the stock of tins, toilet rolls and other longer life products so there will be sufficient supply of essential products," said BRC chief executive Helen Dickinson.

"While no amount of preparation by retailers can entirely prevent disruption there is no need for the public to buy more food than usual as the main impact will be on imported fresh produce, such as fresh fruit and vegetables, which cannot be stored for long periods by either retailers or consumers."

Supermarkets are now used to dealing with anxious shoppers.

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image captionSupermarkets had to impose limits on some goods during coronavirus lockdowns this year

During the first lockdown earlier