Hong Kong retail chains ration staples

Out of stock: A customer walking by partially empty shelves at a supermarket in Hong Kong. — Reuters

Two of Hong Kong’s largest consumer retail chains started rationing some food and drug items to curb panic buying that has plagued the city over the past week amid fears of a citywide lockdown as Covid-19 cases soar.

Supermarket chain ParknShop yesterday announced limits of five items per customer on staples such as rice, canned food and toilet paper while pharmacy Watsons put the same limits on medication for pain, fever and colds.