Coles, Woolworths introduce buying limits in WA amid lockdown

The supermarket chains introduced buying limits as two million residents were plunged into a five-day lockdown, sparking panic at the shops.

Coles have been forced to introduce buying limits in their Western Austraila stores as parts of the state enter a five-day lockdown. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Dan Peled

Coles has limited the sale of toilet paper to one pack per person and introduced a host of other buying limits in Western Australia as part of the state is plunged into a five day lockdown.

Woolworths has also brought in restrictions at select stores – but is allowing two packets of toilet paper per person. The supermarket chain has also introduced limits on certain other items in their stores.

In an update to customers, Coles introduced limits in all its WA stores to help “manage demand for key staple items” as residents in Perth, Peel and South West enter lockdown.

Panic buying broke out in supermarkets across the region on Sunday after the announcement, which came after a hotel quarantine worker contracted COVID-19 and spent days in the community while infectious.

“Coles asks that customers only buy what they need to help ensure everyone in the community has access to food and everyday essentials,” the supermarket chain said in a statement.

Woolworths echoed the sentiment, saying they had “stock to draw on from suppliers and distribution centres and it will continue to flow into stores.”

“We encourage everyone to continue shopping as they usually would and only buy what they need,” Woolworths WA General Manager Karl Weber said.

“Woolworths will look to remove the limits as quickly as possible.”

In addition, any shopper must wear a face mask when shopping for essentials at any supermarket.

People flocked to supermarkets in WA on Sunday after the announcement Perth, Peel and the South West would go into a five-day lockdown. Picture: Instagram / Perthguts

Coles said they had implemented additional safety measures to keep customers and team members safe.

Customers will be met by staff at the door and instructed to use the sanitising station, and cleaning procedures have been increased to “reduce the risk of COVID transmission.”

Until later advised, the current items are limited to one pack per customer at Coles:

• Toilet paper
• Paper towel

A two pack per customer limit is active for the following items:

• Fresh white milk
• Hand sanitiser
• Chilled pasta
• Liquid soaps
• Poultry thighs
• Poultry breasts
• Tissues
• Mince
• Burgers
• Frozen vegetables
• Sausages
• Frozen chips
• Long life milk
• Canned meals
• Pasta
• Canned fish
• Flour
• Canned vegetables
• Rice
• Pre-packaged seafood
• Sugar
• Boodles
• Eggs
• Face masks

Meanwhile, Woolworths have the following limits of two items per product in store:

• Toilet paper
• Paper Towel
• Tissues
• Pasta
• Flour
• Sugar
• Canned Fish
• Rice
• Noodles
• Long-life Milk
• Long-life Milk Specialty
• Fresh Milk
• Eggs
• Frozen Fruit
• Frozen Desserts
• Burgers & Rissoles
• Sausages
• Prepacked Seafood (frozen and fresh)

The following products are limited to two per order for online sales:

• Hand Sanitiser
• Handwash
• Antibacterial Wipes
• Canned Tomatoes
• Canned Vegetables
• Beef
• Chicken
• Lamb
• Pork
• Poultry
• Bread (instore and prop bread)
• Resale Bakery (cakes etc)
• Frozen Chips
• Frozen Veg
• Fresh Pasta
• Smallgoods
• Poultry