No reason was given for the notice from the Ministry of Commerce, but it came amid ongoing coronavirus lockdowns and concerns over vegetable supplies after unusually heavy rain damaged crops.
The ministry also asked local authorities to keep supply chains running smoothly and prices stable.
State media later sought to quell concerns amid reports of panic buying.
"As soon as this news came out, all the old people near me went crazy, panic buying in the supermarket," one user wrote on the Chinese social media site Weibo.
