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Sainsbury’s has said that it will start to ease some restrictions on the quantities of items that shoppers can buy, starting from this Sunday.
In line with other supermarkets, it has limited popular items to counter panic buying during the coronavirus pandemic.
But now it says it is starting to remove those limits on some products, including Easter eggs.
Earlier in the week, Aldi, Morrisons, Waitrose and Asda all said they would be easing restrictions on some goods.
Improved availability
Sainsbury’s said restrictions would remain on UHT milk, pasta and tinned tomatoes, among other goods.
The supermarket’s chief executive, Mike Coupe, said: “We have been working hard with our suppliers to improve our product availability.
“Most people are now just buying what they need for themselves and their families. This means we now often have stock on the shelves all day and at the end of the day.”
He added: “We have removed limits from Easter eggs immediately, as we know families often want to buy more than three and we have plenty of these in all stores and online.”
A Sainsbury’s spokesperson told the BBC that restrictions would also remain in place on butter, cheese and some canned and packaged long-life items, as well as some frozen goods.
Otherwise, the limits were being “largely removed”.
In other retail news, Associated British Foods, which owns discount clothing retailer Primark, has announced temporary voluntary pay cuts for senior managers.
It said chief executive George Weston and finance director John Bason had asked to have their basic pay halved, as had Primark chief executive Paul Marchant.
The company’s non-executive directors have also asked for their fees to be reduced temporarily by 25%, while executive directors will not get a bonus for this financial year.
“The board, including the executive management team, believes that these steps are appropriate given its expectation that full-year earnings will now be much lower than envisaged at the start of the financial year,” the firm said.
“The board is acutely aware that many Primark employees will see their livelihoods affected by Covid-19.”