Online retailer Amazon is stopping sellers from sending non-essential items to its UK and US warehouses until 5 April, to make space for necessary items needed by customers during the coronavirus outbreak.

The US company is focusing on five categories of goods termed as essential products, and which shippers can continue to send to its warehouses. These include baby products, health and household; beauty and personal care; groceries; industrial and scientific; and pet supplies.

It means third-party sellers of non-essential items could find it difficult to ship orders to customers. Third-party sellers can still list and sell items on Amazon but they would have to carry out packing and shipping of the products by themselves.

Amazon told the BBC: “We are temporarily prioritising household staples, medical supplies, and other high-demand products coming into our fulfilment centres so we can more quickly receive, restock, and deliver these products to customers. We understand this is a change for our selling partners and appreciate their understanding.”

According to the Guardian, Amazon had suspended accounts of the sellers who were trying to cash in on coronavirus fear by raising the prices of products such as hand sanitizers and facemasks.