Shoppers in the UK claim police are now fining them for buying non essentials like wines and crisps

Police are issuing fines to people for leaving the house to buy items considered 'non-essential' including wine and snacks, according to shoppers in UK.

The UK entered coronavirus lockdown on March 23, with the Cobra committee set to look at evidence from scientists on the impact this has had before making another announcement on the lockdown guidelines next week.

The measures have restricted freedom of movement with people only allowed to go outside for one form of exercise a day, for medical reasons, travelling to or from work if you are a key worker and to shop for 'basic necessities'.

But it appears there is some confusion with no clear guidelines on what is considered to be a 'basic necessity', as reported by Edinburgh Live.

One shopper has said she was fined £30 after her shopping bags were checked, saying: 

I was walking through Holyrood Park (in Edinburgh) on Sunday afternoon on my way back from Morrisons. Two officers asked to look inside my bag, and then fined me for only having crisps, other snacks and a bottle of wine.

However, it was reported she had also admitted to refuse to comply with the officers' requests to return home straight away.

A resident from West Lothian tweeted to say they knew two people who had been fined; a nurse in uniform leaving a patient's house and another leaving a shop with just a bottle of wine.

A similar tweet stated: 

A friend of my daughter was fined £30 on the spot in Edinburgh the other night having just bought wine and snacks, both of which are non-essential. Still seems a bit draconian to me.

Warrington Police force tweeted a week after the lockdown was imposed to say six people in the area had already been summoned for offences relating to the new coronavirus legislation to protect the public.

It stated it included 'multiple people from the same household going to the shops for non-essential items', as well as others going for a drive due to boredom and returning from parties.