THE 'greed and selfishness' of shoppers who gobbled up supplies available in local stores during the recent bad weather, has been savagely criticised.
A Review reader says she believes lives of elderly people could have been put at risk by those who bought up as many as eight loaves and six cartons of milk from local shops during the heavy snow falls.
"I hope those people – many of whom do not shop in local stores from one snowfall to the next – who cleaned out bread and milk supplies are proud of their panic buying," she said.
Claiming shelves were left empty of staple foodstuffs by 'unutterably greedy people', she said shopowners also had to shoulder some responsibility.
"I know of only one local shop owner who stood his ground and reserved bread etc for his regulars before the supplies were virtually gone and limiting purchases was useless anyway," she said.
Elderly people, she said, could easily have become extremely ill for want of a warm drink or a hot meal and local supplies were vital to them.
"I would say to those selfish people local shops are open every week of the year not just when it snows and, no, you don't have the right to buy out staple foodstuffs leaving others to go without. In future use some common sense and common decency. Your selfish greed could cost someone their life."