Panic buying in Israel after army instructions to stock up

There has been panic buying in Israel after the IDF Home Command instructed people to stock up on canned food, water, required medication, torches and even radios so that they could survive 72 hours locked in their security room, if necessary.

After the order yesterday evening, Israelis rushed out and emptied the shelves in supermarkets, grocery and convenience stores. Stores were already suffering from shortage and empty shelves of fruit and vegetables, eggs, pastry goods and other products due to staff shortages and lack of supply after farmers in the south have been unable to pick crops and transport goods.

This morning some supermarket chains began restricting amounts that customers can purchase of basic goods. Shufersal Ltd. (TASE:SAE) announced this morning (Tuesday) that in order to meet the many demands of customers, there will be purchase restrictions on price-controlled water, eggs, milk and bread.

Shufersal said that customers would be able to buy up to two six-packs of a liter and a half of water, one tray of 30 eggs, or two trays of 12 eggs, up to three liters of price-controlled milk and up to two loaves of price-controlled bread.

Shufersal CEO Ori Watermann said, "Out of responsibility towards all customers and due to heavy demand, supply difficulties and a partial shortage of products in branches, we have decided to limit the purchase of basic food products such as water, eggs, bread and milk."

He added, "We make every effort to provide a full response and service to all the customers who come to the branches to allow everyone to purchase the food and equipment they need, and at the same time we work to continuously flow additional goods to the branches."