Supermarket customers urged not to panic buy

Panic buying has begun on Sydney’s besieged northern beaches, but the big supermarkets have urged their customers not to follow suit.

Coles bosses insist Sydneysiders have not yet began to panic buy despite evidence of it on the locked-down northern beaches.

Photos taken during the weekend at Woolworths in the northern beaches suburb of Belrose shows aisles largely depleted of rice, pasta and meat.

The panic purchasing came after Premier Gladys Berejiklian revealed the 270,000 residents who live in the northern beaches would go into lockdown from until midnight on Wednesday.

Woolworths customers have been urged by its chief executive not to panic buy. Picture: Monique Harmer

However, Coles chief operating officer Matt Swindells said so far Sydney residents had remained calm.

“We have been here before but this time is customers across the weekend in Sydney have been incredible, very calm, very considered, everyone is doing the right thing,” Mr Swindells told the Today show.

“We are not seeing the same panic buying we saw earlier in the year across the nation. Yes, there is elevated demand in toilet paper and we have some challenges in poultry but the team are working on that and we will cover those stock levels in the next few days.

“As the premier said, no need to panic buy. We will get the stock recovered in stores and we will get back on track really quickly.”

Mr Swindells confirmed Coles would make staff wear masks from today but only encouraging customers to do so, following recommendations by NSW Health that people wear masks in indoor spaces.

Coles has seen increased demands on toilet paper as Sydney’s northern beaches COVID-19 cluster grows. Picture: Monique Harmer

“We won‘t be doing the same for the customers; we heard the Premier on the weekend and the chief health officer say that when you in a supermarket everyone should be wearing a mask and with our team leaders we want to take a leadership position and say it is the right thing to do,” he said.

“We have seen it work in other states and we want to make sure that everybody is not only safe but feels safe as well.”

Ms Berejiklian stressed the measures didn’t mean residents should stock up on groceries.

“It is OK to go out and exercise, it is OK to go essential shopping, do not panic buy please,” Ms Berejiklian said.

“You can go shopping any time.”

Woolworths CEO Brad Banducci yesterday warned against panic buying in an email to customers.

“Shops will remain open with extra hygiene measures in place. Customers are asked to wear masks in the northern beaches area and people are being asked to only buy what you need, he said.