Marks & Spencer has extended its temporary purchase restrictions of two items per person across a raft of products including grocery, homecare, frozen food and eggs.

The move by the department store and grocery retailer follows its introduction of rationing across lines of hand sanitisers and antibacterial products earlier this month.

M&S is the latest food retailer to introduce rationing across grocery lines. Both Aldi and Tesco have similarly put in place rationing of three or four items per person on all product lines, while Asda and Waitrose have also restricted purchases on certain lines such as toiletries. 

Marks & Spencer has also increased in-store “Suitable for home freezing” signs and introduced an online “Tips for freezing” blog in a bid to educate its customers.

M&S also announced that it has set aside the first hour of trading in stores on set weekdays for NHS and emergency services workers and older or more vulnerable customers to shop, respectively.

Elderly shoppers will get early access to M&S stores from tomorrow morning, and every Monday and Thursday after that. 

Specialised shopping hours for NHS workers will also take place every Tuesday and Friday morning to ensure they have better access to the products they need. 

M&S has transferred staff from its clothing and home departments and cafes to support its food stores through this unprecedented period. 

The announcement comes after other supermarket chains, such as Asda, Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Iceland, have already implemented similar shopping windows for the elderly or vulnerable.