Shoppers disregard advice as supermarkets see customer numbers 'double'
Spain's consumption minister warns of "collective hysteria," while Catalan authorities insist supply of basic products is guaranteed
As more government measures aimed at combating coronavirus came into force on Friday, supermarkets around Catalonia were busier than usual, with longer queues and more empty shelves than would normally be seen on any other Friday morning.
However the day before, Spain's consumption minister, Alberto Garzón, made a call for "calm," describing scenes of people shopping en masse witnessed in some supermarkets in the past few days as "collective hysteria."
"There is enough supply and so there is no need to go shopping as if for a prolonged period," Garzón told the press, adding that the fears of shops in Spain running out of basic goods, such as food, is "unfounded."
Basic everyday products guaranteed
Equally, on announcing that Catalonia had moved to its 'emergency 1 phase' for the first time ever, the Catalan authorities insisted that supplies of basic everyday goods to all residents would be guaranteed.