Panic buying of fuel and food could lead to empty shelves by next week

Panic buying of everyday items like bread and milk is leaving some supermarkets dangerously low on common essentials as the fuel protests continue and roads around the country are blockaded by thousands of protestors.

CEO of Fuels for Ireland, Kevin McPartlan, said today that ‘This is now a national fuel distribution issue. It is no longer confined to one area.’

‘The longer this continues, the greater the risk to motorists, businesses, and essential services right across the country.’

Main motorways and secondary roads around the country have seen blockades and ten-kilometre tailbacks as the protests tighten their grip on the country’s infrastructure.

Garage forecourts nationwide are beginning to show signs of low fuel supplies, and in at least 500 garages, owners have been forced to display signs saying ‘No Diesel’.

Other garages are limiting customers to just €50 worth of fuel per visit.

Kevin McPartlan wants to clear up a misunderstanding, he says ‘Fuels for Ireland wants to make clear this is not an actual shortage of fuel in the Irish market.’

‘The immediate problem is a serious supply disruption. Fuel is there, but it is not moving normally through the system because key infrastructure and distribution routes have been blocked.’

CEO of the Convenience Stores and Newsagents Association, Vincent Jennings, told The Irish Sun: ‘It will affect deliveries of bread and milk and all the other staples if the delivery men can’t get fuel to service their area.’

‘You will find that they will have to be delayed or not delivered at all. So it wouldn’t take long for it to be a situation where places would be without the staples.’

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Source: Panic buying of fuel and food could lead to empty shelves by next week