Coles and Woolworths reintroduce toilet paper limits as panic-buying surges amid Victoria’s lockdown

Supermarket giants have reintroduced purchase limits to crackdown on panic-buying after Victorians stripped the shelves ahead of a statewide lockdown.

Toilet paper sales have once again been limited to Victorians, as the state is plunged into a seven-day lockdown.

It will be the fourth lockdown period the southern state has faced since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, and it has prompted both Coles and Woolworths have both introduced purchase limits in an attempt to stave-off panic buying.

A Coles spokesman said the two pack per person limit in Victoria was “temporary”.

Toilet paper shelves were cleaned out. Picture: Alison Wynd

“We have plenty of stock in our supply chain, and this temporary measure will help us to manage demand so that we can return our stores to a fully-stocked position as quickly as possible,” the spokesman said.

“All Coles supermarkets, liquor and Coles Express sites will continue to trade during the lockdown in Victoria with enhanced cleaning and safety measures in place.

“We ask that customers stay calm, shop normally, and be respectful to our hardworking team members.”

Coles said the purchase limits will be ‘temporary’. Picture: Alison Wynd

A Woolworths spokesperson confirmed to NCA NewsWire the supermarket giant would also be re-introducing a limit on toilet paper purchases from Friday morning.

Shoppers will only be allowed two packets per shop, the spokesperson said.

As of 11.59pm on Thursday night, Victorians can only leave their house for five reasons: to shop for essentials, for authorised work or permitted education, for exercise (two hour limit with one other person), caregiving, compassionate and medical reasons, and to get vaccinated.