QLD floods prompts Coles, Woolies to bring back buying limits including for toilet paper, bottled water, meat

Australia’s two largest grocery giants are scrambling to get keep their shelves stocked amid the flooding and have placed hard limits on the essentials.

Extreme flooding in parts of northern NSW and southeast Queensland is affecting supermarkets’ ability to properly stock shelves, prompting a desperate measure.

Frustrated shoppers took to social media to show major grocery stores such as Woolworths and Coles sporting empty aisles, particularly when it came to fresh produce.

“You can’t get veggies or fruit in Mooloolaba,” said one Queensland resident.

Woolworths and Coles have both temporarily closed some of their stores and others are operating under reduced hours.

On Tuesday morning, Woolworths announced it was limiting certain products in response to the flooding.

There are now restrictions in place for toilet paper, meat, food staples, over-the-counter pain killers and bottled water.

Late on Tuesday, Coles followed suit. But in an even more extreme measure, the buying limits doesn’t just apply to flood-affected areas, but the entire country.

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Due to flooding in QLD and Northern NSW, some of our stores are temporarily closed or operating under reduced opening hours. Our thoughts are with all those affected by the floods. For updated info on store services and opening hours, visit https://t.co/bUb9SYsjXi

— Woolworths (@woolworths) February 28, 2022

Australia’s major supermarkets are struggling to keep residents fed in flooded areas.

Late on Tuesday, Coles revealed that flood-affected areas in Queensland and NSW must adhere to temporary limits on essential items due to “high demand”.

Customers are restricted to two packets of: paper towels, tissues, flour, rice, fresh milk, mince, sausages, and chicken breasts and thighs.

Shoppers from flooded regions can only buy one multipack of bottled water but they are allowed up to four packs each of long life milk.

But in a surprising twist, the rest of the country must also adhere to limits - even places such as Western Australia, far away from the east coast rain bomb.

The rest of NSW and Queensland who haven’t been caught up in the floods, as well as the ACT, Victoria, Western Australia, South Australia, the Northern Territory and Tasmania, cannot buy too much toilet paper or pain-killer medication.

All customers are limited to one packet of toilet paper per person and two packs maximum of paracetamol, ibuprofen and aspirin.

In NSW and Queensland, they are also not allowed more than one pack of bottled water, even if they are nowhere near the floods.

Our team members are working hard to support the community and our customers in flood-affected areas of QLD and Northern NSW, however we’ve temporarily closed a small number of stores & introduced purchase limits until supply improves.
For more info visit https://t.co/8UiPXdHFdv

— Coles Supermarkets (@Coles) March 1, 2022

Woolworths made a similar call on popular items for the flooded areas, but the rest of the country is free to shop for whatever they want.

In a statement provided to news.com.au, Woolworths revealed it was placing a two-pack limit on: paper towels, tissues, flour, rice, milk (both long-life and fresh), meat (mince, sausages, chicken breasts, chicken thighs) and pain killers (paracetamol, ibuprofen and aspirin).

A one-pack restriction was also placed on toilet paper and packs of bottled water.

The restrictions apply to both online and in-person stores have been limited in parts of Queensland.

Woolworths decision comes after several days of heavy rainfall and flooding, resulting in road closures all over Queensland’s south east.

A freight train derailment at Traveston near Gympie “ compounded the supply challenge” according to a spokesperson.

Fresh food is hard to come by in flood-affected areas.

Coles is also struggling to keeps its shelves stocked.

Woolworths General Manager for Queensland, Danny Baldwin said: “The loss of key transport links because of flooding will regrettably have an impact on product availability in different parts of Queensland.

“We’ve placed temporary purchase limits on selected categories in affected stores to help ensure more customers have access to food and essentials while we work through this period of disruption.

“We have transport contingency plans in place and will do everything we can to safely get stock into our stores via alternative road routes.

“We encourage customers to be mindful of others in the community and only buy what they need. We thank customers for their patience and understanding.”

The following Queensland stores are adhering to the new limits: Atherton, Cairns, Cairns Central, Earlville (Cairns), Mossman, Mount Sheridan, Raintrees (Cairns), Redlynch Smithfield (Cairns), Weipa, Castletown (Townsville), Hermit Park, Ingham, Innisfail, Mission Beach, North Shore Townsville, Townsville City Arcade, Vincent, Ayr, Bowen, Charters Towers, Fairfield Central (Townsville), Kirwan, Mt Isa, Nathan Plaza, Riverway Plaza, The Avenues, Willows (Townsville), Airlie Beach, Central, Andergrove, Caneland (Mackay), Cannonvale, Marian, Mount Pleasant (North Mackay), Ooralea, Proserpine, Rural View Mackay, Sarina, Walkerston, Allenstown (Rockhampton), Blackwater, Emerald, Emerald East (Central Highlands), Gracemere, North Rockhampton, Northside Plaza (Rockhampton North), Parkhurst, Yeppoon, Bargara, Biloela, Boyne Island, Bundaberg, Childers, Gladstone Valley, Kinkora (Gladstone), Kirkwood and Sugarland (Bundaberg).

Hundreds of suburbs have been affected.

The flooding has also reached parts of northern NSW.

Australia’s second largest grocery giant, Coles, also apologised for the inconvenience the supply chain issues had caused.

In a statement, a spokesperson said: “Our team members have been working hard to keep our stores open and stocked for customers in Queensland and Northern NSW. We’ve temporarily closed a small number of stores as flooding and heavy rain has made it difficult to safely access or operate our sites.

“Our focus, as always, is the safety and wellbeing or our customers and team members and we are following all relevant safety advice from emergency and government authorities.

Our Coles Online operations have also been impacted and we will reach out to any customers whose orders are affected.

“We are working hard with our transport and supplier partners to reroute deliveries impacted by road closures and ensure we can regularly maintain deliveries of essential groceries over the coming days.

We thank our customers for their patience during these challenging time for many Queenslanders and Northern NSW residents.”

A man walking through a flooded Brisbane street on Tuesday March 1 2022. Picture: Zak Simmonds

Flooding in Rosalie Village Paddington. Picture: Zak Simmonds

Multiple towns and hundreds of Brisbane suburbs faced evacuation orders yesterday, as flood waters inundated homes and businesses.

Rain has begun to ease across much of battered southeast Queensland, but major flood alerts remain in place, with experts warning of a new “peak” for Brisbane River.

More than 15,000 homes were estimated to be impacted yesterday and more than 51,000 people were without power.

And the situation is far from over, with the Bureau of Meteorology warning of another “significant peak” for the Brisbane River this morning.

While the eased rainfall will see flood waters recede relatively quickly in some areas, many parts of southeast Queensland could endure another week of floods.

Dam releases and looming thunderstorms could see already hard-hit areas smashed again.

Schools will remain closed in Brisbane, Logan and the Gold Coast today as residents begin the clean up process.

Originally published as QLD floods prompts Coles, Woolies to bring back buying limits including for toilet paper, bottled water, meat