Whether canned food, noodles or toilet paper: Out of fear of the consequences of the new type of Coronavirus, some of the people with supplies a cover.

In the social networks a lot of pictures of empty supermarket shelves are circulating. Sometimes one has the impression that there is product shortage. Is that true?

Statement: By hamster purchases are in Germany currently, food and hygiene items almost.

Assessment: From a food shortage according to experts, no question. Hygiene items are currently sold out in some stores, but may be re-ordered.

Facts: photos of empty shelves show, according to the Federal Association of German food trade (BVLH) exceptions, not the rule. “The supply of the population with food is secured,” says BVLH speaker Christian Böttcher.

Significantly, among other things, the demand for durable foods such as pasta, rice, flour and sugar, has risen, according to Böttcher. Many markets may react to it but quite fast: In Rewe and Penny markets, for example, one could see thanks to the digital system, “quasi real time”, what is purchased and orders accordingly, accordingly, explains the responsible spokesperson Andreas Krämer.

Means Is bought a product amplified from customers, it is supplied in greater numbers or more often from the Camps.

In the case of hygiene articles such as toilet paper, the logistics chain is working according to Böttcher slightly different than in the case of food: “they are reordered in the normally rare, because they normally demand less.”

Recently, however, the demand for hygiene products “by leaps and bounds increased,” for example of the drugstore chain dm.

“Due to the abrupt increase in products at some locations are temporarily not available”, explains managing Director Sebastian Bayer.

It had, however, been measures taken to ensure the supply.

It depends on various factors, whether a sold-out product is back the next day on the shelf or whether it will take a little longer, says Böttcher: among other things, the size, the location and the level of technology in the market.

“In principle, the following applies: There are no supply bottlenecks. All the shops are supplied with the necessary products unless the manufacturer can supply you, of course.”

So far, not had been of any product reported, the is not available.

Deutsche Presse-Agentur (dpa)

*The article “fact check: Cause hoarding food shortage?” is published by FitForFun. Contact with the executives here.