Kirkcaldy stores run out of hand sanitisers amid coronavirus fears

Stores including Asda on Carberry Road and B&M at Fife Central Retail Park have both reported completely selling out of the product.

A spokeswoman for Asda confirmed it had sold out of hand sanitisers earlier this week.

She said: “We haven’t had any more in since we ran out at the start of the week. I am not sure if we are expecting any more in.

“I have heard from various sources that other places like chemists as well as shops and supermarkets have been struggling to get supplies of them in. Our supplies of hand soap are out of stock as well. It is quite clear there is an element of panic buying.”

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A spokesman for B&M said: “Yes we ran out of them as well about a week ago. Everybody has been looking to buy them straight away. We are due to get them back in store again but just not sure when.

“But we had a delivery of hand soaps in today (Friday) so we have plenty of them.

A spokeswoman for the pharmacy in Boots, Kirkcaldy High Street, said it had sold out of hand sanitisers too and when they had the product in stock, staff had to ration them: “We can sell two hand sanitisers per customer - we have had to ration them over the last few days. This is a national policy with Boots as it is with most chemists and there are signs up.”

A spokeswoman for Superdrug in Kirkcaldy said: “We ran out of hand sanitisers on Saturday.

“We got some in on Wednesday but they all sold out within an hour. We are getting another supply in on Sunday. They haven’t completely sold out everywhere though there are places you can still buy them. A lot of people have been making their own hand sanitisers as well.”

She said they still have anti-bacterial soaps in stock but when the hand sanitisers are coming in they are having to ration them: “We are selling two per person and I think a lot of places are now doing that because people are buying in bulk.”

Meanwhile, Dysart Pharmacy in the High Street, has also sold out of hand sanitisers and a spokesman said they were struggling to get supplies in.

He added: “We had some hand sanitisers in stock but we sold out this week - we have had difficulty since in getting them back in from suppliers.”