A website designed to alert people how long supermarket queues are, seems to be catching on

The website lists supermarkets and other essential shops like pharmacies with one of three alert levels -- No Lines, A Wee Wait or Busy, Stay home.

Shoppers can update statuses themselves - if they are at the shop using the location setting on their mobile phone.

Dunedin Software engineer and creator Gareth Hayes says he's had good feedback so far.

He says after sharing it on Facebook and Reddit he saw it spread to Christchurch, Invercargill and North Island cities.