Shocking! Half of people in Ireland unable to buy essential items due to 'panic buying'

Almost half of people in Ireland have been unable to buy essential items during the Covid-19 pandemic, a new survey has revealed. 

An estimated 1.7 million Irish adults have been unable to buy essential items in the last month, according to new data from financial comparison website Finder.com.

A survey of 1,204 Irish adults reveals 47% have been unable to buy necessities like hand sanitizer/soap, fresh food, dry food, medicine, toilet paper, or other toiletries. 

The biggest shortage has been for hand sanitizer or soap, with almost a third (29%) reporting they had been unable to buy some in the last month. 

Nearly one in five report being unable to buy toilet paper, while around one in ten say they couldn’t purchase other toiletries, fresh food, dry food or medicine.

Those aged 65+ have struggled the most to buy essential items, with over half (51%) saying they have come up empty-handed in the last month. That’s compared to just 43% of those aged 18-24 and 45% of 25-34 year olds. 

Global editor in chief at Finder, Angus Kidman, said a staggering number of Irish adults have been unable to buy essential items.

"The overall number of those unable to buy essential items is incredibly high at 47%," Kidman said.

"It’s especially concerning that so many people are unable to buy hand sanitizer or soap given hand cleanliness is so important in fighting the spread of coronavirus.

"At this stage of the pandemic Ireland is faring better than some countries. In the Philippines 58% of the adult population reported product shortages and 56% of those in the United States and South African said the same," he added. 

You can view the full report here.