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Product purchasing limits have been introduced by Lidl and Aldi on selected items after chaotic "panic buying" scenes at many stores across Ireland today.

Shoppers rushed to supermarkets to grab the essentials after news that schools, colleges and childcare facilities were to close from 6pm this evening until March 29 due to coronavirus.

Tissues, antibacterial handwash, pasta and tinned tomatoes are among the products that will have a four items per customer limit at Aldi, RTE reports.

While a Lidl Ireland spokesman wrote on Twitter: "In recent days we have experienced significantly stronger sales in many categories.

"Due to our robust and agile supply chain we're confident of maintaining supply of key lines as consumer demand remains high and our stores are continuing to receive deliveries as planned.

"Lidl is in constant contact with suppliers and partners as the situation develops.

"We've put product quantity limitations in place on a select few product lines to ensure availability for as many customers as possible, and we would ask that customers respect these measures.

"Our teams in our stores & distribution centres are working tirelessly to continue to maintain availability of food & supplies for families across the country and we ask the public to show compassion when interacting with our hardworking store teams during this demanding period."

It comes after a chaotic day of "panic buying" at many stores all over the country.

Pictures shared with Dublin Live also showed supermarkets in the capital filled with shoppers.

Anthony said: "I was passing by Bishopstown Dunnes there and there were cars all over the place. It was kind of blocked up so I said I'd go in for a look and there are people just panic buying all over the place.

"The car park is absolutely jammers and they're parked on both sides of the road, left and right, you can hardly get through.

"There's a bit of pandemonium going on out there."

(Image: Deirdra Carroll)

Anthony appeared to put it down to Taoiseach Leo Varadkar's speech on the restrictions now being put in place.

He added: "I passed there about an hour and a half ago and this wasn't happening.

"I met a friend of mine walking through there a while ago and he had a trolley full of toilet paper and water.

"You would think that (it was the end of the world). I don't know."

Anthony said it was "absolutely chockers in there" and he had "never seen it so busy".

He added that it was "definitely worse" than Christmas Eve.

Meanwhile, one customer at Tesco in Liffey Valley, Dublin, said that shoppers were abusing staff as people were filling their trolleys panic buying.

She said: "It's absolutely crazy. People are going crazy and just grabbing stuff off the shelves, anything.

"(The) poor staff are being verbally abused because a lot of stuff is gone. People are panicking."

David Fitzsimons, Group Chief Executive of Retail Excellence, said the group had spoken to major grocery outlets and forecourt operators in Ireland and that it "would like to reassure everyone that Ireland is prepared to continue to supply all grocery outlets for the coming months".

He added: "There is no reason for Irish citizens to have any concern in that regard.

"The industry has never been more prepared having planned for a hard Brexit over the past number of months.

"Minister Heather Humphreys, Minister of Business and Enterprise, has done a tremendous job in monitoring this matter and please be assured that we have more than adequate contingencies in place.

"Social media images of empty shelves are simply sensationalizing the matter. These shelves are restocked every evening and restocking will continue into the future.

"We echo An Taoiseach’s comments when this morning he confirmed that the shops will remain open and we have plans to ensure supply chains will not be interrupted."