Woolworths limits sale of many items to two per person in SA

Major supermarket chain Woolworths has reinstated purchase limits as shoppers panic buy following SA’s lockdown announcement.

Woolworths says it will reinstate purchase limits across South Australian stores as demand for products surges, with the newly announced six-day lockdown sparking panic buying.

Shoppers have been seen queuing in large lines at supermarkets across the state.

Woolworths has responded by announcing the purchase limits will come into effect on Thursday.

People seen queuing at Woolworths at West Torrens. Photo by Kelly Barnes/Getty Images

Brickworks Plaza management were handing out water to people queuing to go into Woolworths. Picture: Kelly Barnes/Getty Images

The company said the limits would help ensure customers had fair access to fresh food and essentials during the lockdown.

Purchase limits of two items per customer will be introduced for the following products:

• Toilet paper
• Paper Towels
• Rice
• Pasta
• Flour
• Sugar
• Frozen vegetables
• Frozen potatoes
• Frozen fruit
• Frozen fish
• Frozen poultry
• Long-life milk (regular, skim, lite)
• Specialty long-life milk (soy, almond)
• Anti-bacterial wipes
• Liquid hand wash
• Disinfectants
• Bleach
• Cleaners
• Noodles
• Canned tomatoes
• Canned vegetables
• Canned legumes
• Disposable gloves
• Sponges and scourers
• Baby wipes
• Tissues
• Dishwashing liquid
• Milk
• Chilled juice
• Pre-packed bacon
• Eggs
• Mince (fixed weight only)
• Sausages
• Burgers, rissoles and meatballs
• Pre-packed carrots
• Pre-packed potatoes
• Pre-packed onions
• Bread loaves
• Frozen seafood

There will also be a limit on prepacked meat, with only two packs of pork, lamb, beef or chicken allowed.

A 2kg limit also applies for meat from the butcher, smallgoods and poultry from the deli section as well as carrots, onions and potatoes.

South Australians were seen queuing outside supermarkets following the lockdown announcement. Picture: Kelly Barnes/Getty Images

The major supermarket chain is also working to ramp up extra online delivery capacity for customers.

Woolworths’ SA general manager Karl Weber said the company understood it was an anxious time for South Australians but urged all customers to only buy what they needed.

He said the safety and wellbeing of staff and customers was the top priority, and all shoppers were expected to wear face masks.

“As an essential service, our supermarkets will remain open to support our customers’ food and grocery needs. We have plenty of stock, which will continue to flow to stores from our distribution centres,” Mr Weber said.

“We ask our customers to adhere to all social distancing and hygiene measures while shopping in our stores.

“We will have health and safety ambassadors at the front of every store to wipe down trolleys and hand sanitiser readily available for our customers.

“We ask customers to treat our team and each other with respect as we work through this unsettling time.”

Woolworths allowed a photographer into a distribution centre in Adelaide in a bid to stop the panic buying. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Roy VanDerVegt.

Adamant to prove toilet paper stocks would not be running low, Woolworths granted NCA NewsWire access to its South Australian distribution centre, revealing thousands of rolls ready to go.

It was only yesterday that Coles announced it was also reinstating purchase limits for toilet paper.

Toilet paper had scarcely been seen at supermarkets across SA after Premier Steven Marshall announced restriction changes on Monday.

Originally published as Woolworths limits sale of many items to two per person in SA