Shoppers have been urged to "calm down" amid promises there is no shortage of food in the country.

MP George Eustice, Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, was speaking at today's government press conference.

Mr Eustice, who is also MP for Camborne and Redruth, said the "crucial thing" was for people to only buy what they needed and think of others.

An estimated £1 billion of extra food has been brought into homes that has yet to be eaten, with pictures of empty supermarket shelves now a daily occurence.

But Mr Eustice said there were no shortages, with more food was arriving daily.

Stephen Powis of NHS England also issued a plea on behalf of NHS staff around the country for people to not stockpile, so that items would still there be there when health workers finished their shifts.

"It is critical by not stockpiling, by leaving those supplies for others too" that items were available, he said.

Mr Eustice said there were no plans for national rationing a this stage, adding that retailers were best placed to decide what limits to place on goods.

Supermarkets have already imposed restrictions of items such as toilet roll, hand soap and cleaning products, with some now going further to limiting purchases to a maximum of three of any item.