WATCH | 'It's only the wealthy that can panic buy': Why panic buying is harming the country

As South Africans come to grips with measures implemented by President Cyril Ramaphosa to prevent the spread of coronavirus, many are panic buying, filling their trolleys with goods and leaving other citizens with no options.

Pick n Pay said its customers had been buying responsibly for the most part, stocking up on what they usually bought.

“Understandably, as they read and act on the advice they are receiving, they are buying more household cleaning and personal hygiene products, and we’ve seen demand for these products increase over the past week,” Pick n Pay said in a statement.

Consumer journalist Wendy Knowler provides insight on the phenomenon in the video above.