ONLINE shoppers 'queuing' for food deliveries are set to wait for more than three weeks as panic-buying creates chaos. 

As major retailers face unprecedented demand for home deliveries amid the Covid-19 outbreak customers now face weeks of waiting.

Earlier today ASDA and Waitrose's websites crashed, while Tesco and Sainsbury's could not deliver shopping to customers in Oxfordshire in the next three-to-four-weeks.

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Oxford Mail:

Oxfordshire county councillor for Rose Hill and Littlemore Gill Sanders and her husband, who are both in their 70s, said they were unable to order their weekly food shop.

The couple who are self-isolating at their home in Headington attempted to book a delivery slot with Sainsbury's, Waitrose and Tesco but there were none available for up to a month.

Miss Sanders said: "I understand that supermarkets have limited delivery slots because people are panicking about coronavirus.

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Oxford Mail:

"I am worried though about the vulnerable people who, like me and my husband, are over 70 or have underlying health conditions or are disabled, so are confined to their homes.

"We have family in Oxford who are happy to bring us supplies but many others are on their own."

In a letter sent to their customers last weekend the British Retail Consortium - a trade association for all UK retailers - urged people to refrain from stockpiling.

The organisation explained supermarkets with online delivery and click-and-collect services are running them 'at full capacity'.

Another Oxfordshire resident Jeremy Tabb, 60, complained of the 'absolutely ridiculous' service. 

Mr Tabb who is disabled and uses a walking stick tried to order his groceries from Sainsbury's but said the next available slot was on April 6.

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He said: "I can get bread and milk from the shop but it takes me almost an hour to get to the nearest corner shop.

"I cannot walk far and carry many things and bulk shop like other people.

"I really do not know what I am going to do in the next few weeks and how I will get food."

Shoppers who contacted the Oxford Mail to complain about the major retailers revealed their deliveries have either been pushed back or cancelled. 

One customer said Sainsbury's rescheduled their delivery last minute to next week.

The BRC was not able to confirm if retailers are working to improve their services and if more delivery slots will be offered.

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Director of food and sustainability Andrew Opie stated: "Retailers have seen an uptick in online deliveries and are taking all necessary steps to meet this rise in demand so that all consumers continue to have access to the products they need.

"Despite difficult times, retailers strive to provide the best service for their customers, both online and in-store and are working as hard as they can to ensure consumers have access to whatever products they need."