Britain says food plentiful despite freight halt

Britain said food was plentiful on Tuesday (December 22) despite freight routes to mainland Europe remaining cut off, and people should not worry about supermarkets running out in the last few days before their traditional Christmas feast.

Large queues were seen outside several south London supermarkets on Tuesday, however food retailers said they had not seen any major changes in buying behaviour.

Tesco and Sainsbury's, Britain's two biggest supermarket groups, warned on Monday that gaps would start to appear on shelves within days if freight deliveries were not quickly restored.

Freight from France is being disrupted as part of a wider suspension of travel links with Britain to try to curb a new faster spreading strain of COVID-19.

British supermarkets are facing record Christmas demand due to COVID-19 restrictions on the hospitality industry and on travel and there were fears of panic buying.