Couples flock to Ringwood Costco following easing of coronavirus shopping restrictions
Couples and families have descended on Ringwood’s Costco warehouse after a slight easing of coronavirus shopping restrictions. But some shoppers are not impressed and have deemed their visits “unnecessary”.
Outer East
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Shoppers have expressed safety fears following reports of long lines and “not essential” shopping in Ringwood following the easing of coronavirus restrictions.
But Costco believes there hasn’t been a surge in customers at its Ringwood warehouse and shopper numbers have stayed consistent.
The State Government removed tight restrictions on Sunday, September 27 stemming from the coronavirus outbreak, which only allowed one person per household to go shopping once a day for essential items.
Nunawading’s Beatrix Edwards, who is 32-weeks pregnant, told Leader there were “way too many families” and lines to get in when she visited on her own on Monday morning.
“If you need someone to help you with your shopping because you’re elderly, disabled or pregnant, sure, but taking your three teenagers and your spouse for a browse around Costco is not essential,” she said.
Maroondah Leader noticed the warehouse’s underground carpark was well occupied and saw groups of two consistently entering and exiting the store when it visited on Monday afternoon.
Box Hill North customer Sue, who was getting business supplies, said she was in a line of about 15-20 people to get inside around lunchtime.
She said she saw mainly individuals shopping but also some families.
“I come here once or twice a week for the business, and today was the first time I had to get in a queue,” she said.
Ringwood couple Jordan and Shae Jeans also said the store was “busier than it has been in the last couple of weeks” but didn’t have to queue up at the check-outs.
“It’s busier than normal but they’ve got more staff on,” Mr Jeans said.
Readers on Maroondah Leader’s Facebook page also shared their experiences, with Belinda Winsdale saying “the line to get in there when I drove past was huge”.
Jayde Midge Mills commented: “Stupidity at it’s finest. You don’t all need to go to the shops.”
Costco Australia managing director Patrick Noone said numbers had remained “reasonably consistent” at Ringwood compared with the past four weeks.
Mr Noone said the warehouse still had its COVID-safe plan in place and its trading hours had not been extended.
“Costco continues to work within our COVID Safe Plan in sanitation protocols both inside and surrounding our warehouse, social distancing and enforcing entry limits,” he said.
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