Coronavirus: Penrith supermarkets’ shelves empty over hysteria
Desperate shoppers across Penrith have hit their local supermarkets hard, demicating the shelves of essential goods.
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Coronavirus hysteria has hit Penrith with supermarket shelves decimated of toilet paper supplies by desperate shoppers.
Emu Plains Woolworths was completely out of toilet paper today, and almost completely out of tissues and baby wipes.
Hand sanitiser and paper towel has also been hit hard.
Facebook user David O’Coineoil (sic) said he was at Emu Plains Woolies at about 12.15pm on Wednesday.
“It’s pathetic, just pathetic,” he said.
“There were trolleys out the front with three, four, or five bundles while unconcerned people of ‘over 60’ sneered at anyone walking past.”
Michelle Kelly said Windsor had also been hit hard.
“I went to Coles at 11am and it had all sold out,” she said.
“Woolworths and Aldi had both sold out of toilet paper, paper towels, and wipes as well.”
Other stores readers reported as having no toilet paper included Cambridge Park Coles, Cranebrook Woolies, Glenmore Park Woolies, Jordan Springs Woolies, Southlands Woolies, St Clair Woolies, and St Marys Woolies, among others.
Some readers questioned why toilet paper was being targeted.
“Coronavirus isn’t a gastro virus, why do people always overreact and do ridiculous things like this?” asked Beth Arblaster (sic) on Facebook.
“There’s no need to panic buy,” Sonya Malone said on Facebook. “If you’re healthy and wash your hands, you shouldn’t have a problem.”
Linda Carmanico said she couldn’t buy nappies at the Penrith Plaza, and Deborah Plummer said spaghetti or other types of pastas were low.
A Woolworths spokesman said the chain had introduced a four-per-person policy for toilet paper.
“Woolworths has today moved to apply a quantity limit on toilet paper packs to ensure more customers have access to the products,” he said.
“The purchase limit of four packs per transaction applies in-store and online, and will help shore up stock as suppliers ramp up local production in response to higher than usual demand.
“Our teams are continuing to work hard on restocking stores with extra deliveries of long-life food and household staples from our distribution centres.
“The vast majority of the products ranged in our stores remain available for our customers as normal.
“We apologise to customers for the inconvenience caused by temporary stock shortages and thank them for their patience.”