Sainsbury's has announced from today it is limiting all grocery items to three per customer as coronavirus panic-buying has left shelves stripped bare.

The most popular stockpiled items, including toilet paper, soap and long-life milk, meanwhile, will be reduced to just two per customer.

The supermarket is also the latest to introduce measures to help the elderly and vulnerable during the ongoing coronavirus crisis.

See our live blog for the latest coronavirus updates for Oxfordshire

Chief executive Mike Coupe, in a letter to customers, said all its stores will only open to these two groups for the first hour of trading on Thursday.

The chain will open for an hour longer though, so other shoppers do not miss out.

From tomorrow Sainsbury's will also be closing its cafes, as well as its meat, fish and pizza counters to free up warehouse and lorry capacity for products that 'customers really need'. 

Mr Cope added: "It  will also free up time for our store colleagues to focus on keepinhg the shelves as stocked as possible."

From Monday online customers who are over 70 years of age or have a disability will have priority access to online delivery slots. 

ALSO READ: Battle of the vans - What will become Oxford's newest street food vendor?

There will also be an expanded 'click and collect' service from the same day. 

Mr Coupe said: "We are significantly increasing the number of collection sites across the country over the coming days in preparation for this. 

"Customers can place their order online as usual and pick it up from a collection point in the store care park. 

"We believe this will also work for people who are self-isolating."

The supermarket head also reassured customers there was 'enough food for everyone' but people should only buy what they and their families needed.