Woolworths, Coles introduce toilet paper restrictions amid panic buying

Sydney panic buyers have forced supermarkets to reintroduce strict limits on customers purchasing toilet paper and paper towels.

Sydney panic buyers have forced supermarkets to bring back strict limits on purchases of toilet paper and paper towels.

The move was made to prevent dramatic scenes witnessed in supermarkets earlier this year with explosive arguments and physical fights in the aisles.

Toilet paper and paper towels will be limited to two packs per customer with the restrictions across 200 Woolworths stores in the greater Sydney area.

Supermarkets have been struggling to keep up with demand for products such as toilet paper in recent days. Picture: AAP.

Supermarkets NSW General Manager Michael Mackenzie said the move was a preventive step.

“We’ve continued to see a steady increase in demand for toilet paper across different parts of Sydney in the past 24 hours,” he said.

“While demand is nowhere near the levels we saw earlier this year, we’re taking a preventive step ahead of the busy pre-Christmas trade.

“We have plenty of toilet paper stock to draw on from our suppliers and it will continue to flow into stores in large volumes.

An empty toilet paper shelf at Aldi in Brookvale on December 19.

Supermarket shelves low on toilet paper at Woolworths in Narrabeen. Picture: Monique Harmer

Woolworths tripled toilet paper order volumes to NSW this week with more than 400,000 packs on its way into the state.

A Coles spokesman said there were similar restrictions in their stores.

“Coles has today implemented a range of measures to improve availability and help keep customers and team members safe across the Northern Beaches, Greater Sydney and the Central Coast,” he said.

“To help manage increased customer demand, toilet paper and paper towel has a temporary two pack per customer limit at Coles supermarkets and Coles Express stores, as well as for Coles Online orders.

Both supermarkets have urged shoppers to wear masks also.