Coronavirus: Asda in Kirkcaldy curtails opening hours to tackle panic buying

The move comes after continued panic buying decimated stocks of milk, bread, pasta and toilet rolls since the start of the coronavirus scare – a scene replicated in supermarkets across Fife.

It will also allow the store to carry out intense cleaning in a bid to help halt the spread of the virus.

The store, on Carberry Road, normally operates 24 hours a day, seven days each week.

Bosses took the decision to shut during the small hours of the morning to give themselves some respite, restock empty shelves and give their cleaners time to do their duties.

They have asked shoppers to be patient as they focus on aisles which have seen the biggest footfall as people stockpile items amid Government calls to stay at home under social distancing in a bid to halt the spread of coronavirus across the community.

In common with all supermarkets across town, Asda has restricted customers to buying four items of any one product in a bid to limit the impact of stockpiling.

The latest coronavirus figures show no change in the number of positive cases in Fife – it stays at seven in the latest Scottish Government update.