Coronavirus: Hong Kong’s ParknShop, Watsons impose restrictions on certain purchases amid panic buying frenzy
- At ParknShop supermarkets, a number of products will be subject to restrictions: rice, canned food, noodles, boxed eggs, toilet tissue and medicine
- At health and beauty retailer Watsons, purchases of all pain relief and cold and flu medications are similarly restricted
ParknShop supermarkets and Watsons pharmacies are imposing restrictions on the purchase of certain products in the wake of a rash of panic buying sparked by fears of a lockdown when Hong Kong launches its universal coronavirus testing drive later this month.
From Friday onwards, at ParknShop supermarkets, a number of products are subject to restrictions – rice, canned food, noodles, boxed eggs, toilet tissue and medicine – with customers only allowed to purchase five units of each in a single transaction.
“We hope customers can make purchases rationally. In order to serve more customers, from now on, we will impose purchase restrictions on some products,” the group said in a statement.
The supermarket chain, one of the city’s largest, added that the supply of various foodstuffs and daily necessities was stable.
At health and beauty retailer Watsons, also starting on Friday, purchases of all pain relief and cold and flu medications are restricted to five units per transaction by a customer.
ParknShop and Watsons are owned by tycoon Li Ka-shing’s CK Hutchison Holdings. There are 260 ParknShop supermarkets and 170 Watsons outlets across the city, according to the company.
Both chains pledged to work with distributors to keep their stocks up and prices steady, reiterating that supplies were stable for the time being.