Saturday shoppers much more relaxed as shelved restocked

Manic shoppers stayed home on Saturday with a more relaxed clientele pleasantly surprised at how well stocked Brisbane’s supermarkets are.

IT was a different crowd at shopping centres across Greater Brisbane yesterday as staff at major supermarket chains rushed to restock after panic buying left shelves bare.

Queues to enter the shops and at check-outs have subsided after buying limits were enforced on Friday afternoon, but the stores were yet to fully recover from the large volume of customers.

Supermarkets across the city had lines of 200m plus to get in, but yesterday customers could walk in with ease.

Milk and bread supplies have been restocked at many stores, but meat and vegetable supplies remained low.

At Coles in Toombul stock had been restored on the shelves after customers stood in two-hour-long lines to enter the shop on Friday.

John and Julianne Hosking-Potts posing after shopping at Toombul Shopping Centre on the first day of the three-day lockdown. Picture: Attila Csaszar

John and Julianne Hosking-Potts shopped at the Coles yesterday after leaving on Friday with only one item.

“We came out very shortly yesterday and we saw the queues, we couldn’t believe it,” Ms Hosking-Potts said. “We just got milk and then left.”

At Woolworths in Nundah, young family Maryam Rahami, Ghasem Jahedi and their two-year-old daughter Sarina Jahedi were lucky enough to find all the supplies they needed despite empty shelves in produce and meat aisles.

Ghasem Jahedi, Sarina Jahedi, 2 and Maryam Rahimi posing after shopping at Woolworths Nundah. Picture: Attila Csaszar

“There are a few empty shelves, but nothing that we needed,” Ms Rahami said.

It comes as Coles implemented additional safety measures in their stores yesterday, asking all customers and staff to ensure they have their mask on before entering.

They also instated enhanced safety and hygiene measures, including greeting customers at entrances to remind them to use the sanitising station.

Coles Chief Operating Officer Matt Swindells said customer health and safety was their top priority.

“Taking these immediate and additional safety measures including requiring our team members to wear face masks during their shifts and enhanced cleaning will protect and ensure our customers and team members can feel safe in our stores.”

Woolworths Director of Stores Rob Moffat reminded customers to only take what they need and not to over-shop in the lockdown period.

“We have stock to draw on from our suppliers and distribution centres and it will continue to flow into stores in large volumes,” he said.