Coronavirus Victoria: All retail in Melbourne to shut down for six weeks

The vast majority of retail stores - with the exception of supermarkets - will be closed down in Melbourne for the duration of lockdown.

The majority of retailers, including department stores such as Kmart and Target, will be closed in Melbourne for the duration of the stage 4 restrictions.

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has announced tough new rules in a bid to end the state’s devastating second wave of coronavirus infections, which yesterday plunged Melbourne into an unprecedented lockdown and saw regional Victoria adopt tougher measures.

Most shops will be shut down for six weeks – except for essential services such as supermarkets and pharmacies – in a move that is likely to trigger thousands of job losses and stand downs.

It will affect around 250,000 people, taking the total number of those already stood down or working from home to around one million.

Clothing, furniture, electronics and other shops will be shut, as will larger department stores like Kmart, Big W, Target, Myer and David Jones.

Bunnings will close to everyone but tradespeople, but will offer socially distance shop-and-collect when possible.

Supermarkets, grocery stores, bottle shops, pharmacies, petrol stations, banks, news agencies and post offices will remain open during the lockdown.

“That means people do not need to be going and buying six weeks worth of groceries,’’ Mr Andrews said.

“I understand that there is a sense of concern in the community and hopefully the clarity of the message today, you do not need to do that because supermarkets as well as grocery stores, the local fruit and veg, the local butcher, the baker, all of those shops, they will remain open.

“You will only be able to be one person out of the house doing that for an hour, they will still be open and they will have to the best of everyone’s ability, they will have the fullest range they possibly can have.”

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Victoria’s coronavirus crisis has plunged Melbourne into a tough stage 4 lockdown. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Bianca De Marchi

“From 11.59pm this Wednesday, retail will close, some manufacturing will close,’’ Mr Andrews said.

“To give you the retail example, for instance, Bunnings, you will no longer be able to go into a Bunnings store but you will be able to collect goods without making contact with anybody.”

Click and collect services with contactless payment will operate in some circumstances.

“As heartbreaking as it is to close down places of employment, while I never thought that I would be telling people not to go to work, that is what we have to do in order to stop the spread of this wildly infectious virus, this deadly virus.

“We’ve got to make decisions, very difficult decisions but we got to earlier on the side of doing everything we possibly can to drive these case numbers down submit at the end of the six-week period.”

The majority of retail stores in Melbourne will shut down for six weeks. Picture: AFP

Ministers in the Victorian government were in crisis meetings all day over the details of the changes to workplaces.

Health authorities announced 429 new infections in Victoria today. More than 11,500 cases have already been confirmed in the state.

Woolworths has reintroduced purchase limits in Victorian stores on at least 50 products including meat, fish and dairy products.

A two packet limit per customer remains in force for frozen Vegetables, frozen potatoes, frozen fruit, fish, poultry, prepacked sausages from the meat department, prepacked burger patties, rissoles and meatballs from the meat department.

Eggs, flour, rice, sugar, hand sanitiser, long life milk, mince and paper towels also remain restricted.

Woolworths Supermarkets managing director Claire Peters urged shoppers to remain calm and not panic buy.

“We understand this is an anxious time for our Victorian customers, but we encourage everyone to continue shopping as they usually would and only buy what they need,’’ she said on Sunday.

“Stock will continue to flow from our distribution centres and as an essential service, Woolworths supermarkets remain open to support customers’ food and grocery needs.

“We ask that our customers continue to adhere to our social distancing and hygiene measures while in store and continue to treat our team and each other with respect while shopping.”