Kosher butchers report customers “fighting over meat” as people stockpile supplies because of the coronavirus outbreak.

Stephen Grosman of Silvermans - and managing director of Lewco-Pak, the meat wholesaler and supplier that owns the Silvermans chain - said shelves at its Stanmore, Temple Fortune and Radlett outlets had been cleared with a 30 per cent increase in demand.

“People aren’t eating twice as much, or 30 per cent more. They are just storing the food,” he explained. “It is understandable.”

He was anticipating a further spike in orders for Pesach but warned that if members of his workforce became infected, the business could struggle to satisfy demand.

“In my shops we have hundreds of people coming in every day,” he said, “If I told half my staff to isolate tomorrow, we wouldn’t meet demand.

“We are entering times that none of us have ever experienced,” he added, urging customers to be “calm, calm, calm.”

Mr Kahan of E & F Butchers in Stamford Hill said people had been “fighting for meat”.

David, the manager of Shefa Mehadrin in Golders Green, advised customers to be regularly “in touch with the butcher and see what’s going on.

“We should be able to supply everyone with what they need,” he said.