Coronavirus: Mums beg supermarkets to end restrictions for families

Four mums say they have been “stripped” of their ability to provide for their larger than average families under the strict new buying limits.

Four mums have banded together to issue a public plea for supermarkets to lift tough buying restrictions, saying the rules to stop panic buyers have made life difficult for their large families.

Supermarkets across the country have been forced to introduce limits on essential items in a “difficult but necessary” step to stop shoppers stripping shelves.

Panicked buyers have stocked up at supermarkets this month amid fears the coronavirus could disrupt supplies.

Supermarkets have been forced to limit shoppers to just one or two items per purchase of many basic grocery items such as pasta, rice, milk and toilet paper.

But Jessica Hood, Jeni Bonell, Claire Hooker and Georgina Pritchard – who between them have a combined 36 kids – are begging supermarkets to reassess the restrictions.

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Claire Hooker with eight of her nine children. Picture: Supplied

The mums, who document their large family life on social media, have joined together this week to issue a public plea for exceptions to be made to product limits for families like them.

Brisbane mum of seven Ms Pritchard shares her life through @largefamilylifestyle and told news.com.au she wanted the supermarkets to see the “real everyday effects panic buying and item restrictions are having on Australian large families”.

“We are struggling, we need help with these restrictions. We need to feed our families,” she said.

“We need to find a way to purchase larger amounts of food in a fair manner to all.”

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The Bonell family have been forced to shop at least once a day due to the limits. Picture: Supplied

Toowoomba mum of 16 Ms Bonell, who shares her big family experience on YouTube, said it was now a “daily struggle to make sure we have enough just for each meal”.

“I have had comments and bad looks from people each time I go into a grocery store,” she told news.com.au.

“If I could just get what I need in the right quantities, then we could stay home the rest of the time like we’ve all been advised to do. Like other big families, we just want a fair go.”

While mum of nine Ms Hooker (@Thistribeofmineofficial_) told news.com.au she had spoken to many other large families who couldn’t “buy what they need due to the empty shelves and the current restrictions that are in place”.

Ms Hooker and her family live in the rural NSW town of Captains Flat and their closest city is Canberra.

“Some of these parents have no choice but to go to the shops everyday to try and get what they need for their families,” she said.

“Some are living day to day, travelling to several supermarkets over several locations just so they can buy enough food to feed their family.”

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Ms Hood, who has four young children and posts on @houseofhoods_, said she would like more flexibility for large families, particularly those who might live rurally.

She also urged panic buyers to think about the effect their actions had on the vulnerable, elderly and those “who have lots of mouths to feed”.

“We believe that making small changes like having families present a Medicare card on entering the grocery store will allow larger families to be able to stock up on the essentials without running short or low on supplies,” Ms Hood told news.com.au.

“It will reduce stress in the household as well as create less travel for those with large families who live in the rural communities.”

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Melbourne blogger Jessica Hood with three of her four children. Picture: Supplied

LARGE FAMILIES 'STRIPPED' OF ABILITY TO BUY FOOD

Earlier, the mums all shared identical posts shared on their Facebook and Instagram pages, stating they “didn't stock up” when panic buying began earlier this month but were “now having regrets” as they struggled to buy enough food to feed their families in supermarket shops.

“Large families have been stripped of our ability to buy food in the quantities that we … wait for it, actually NEED, not want,” they said.

“1 packet of pasta is not enough, or the milk, flour or eggs or anything else you're limiting (and we absolutely understand why, we do, we find it infuriating as well).

“We're now forced to go from shop to shop just to find the essentials, often not finding what we need, and if this continues it could potentially be a big problem.”

While Ms Hood, Ms Bonell, Ms Hook and Ms Pritchard wrote that they “really appreciate” the steps being made by supermarkets to stop the hoarding, they asked for exceptions to be made for large families.

“We’re more than happy to present our Medicare cards to you, to show you the amount of our dependants,” they said.

“We're not hoarding, we’re simply trying to steer clear of daily trips to the supermarket and visit on a weekly basis, to lessen our social contact at this time. We want to keep our families safe as well.”

Many shoppers have resorted to queuing for supermarkets to open to get what they need. Picture: David Swift.

‘DIFFICULT BUT NECESSARY’: SUPERMARKETS RESPOND

In response to Ms Hood, Ms Bonell, Ms Hook and Ms Pritchard's public plea, a Woolworths spokesman told news.com.au product limits were a “difficult but necessary” step that they would look to wind back “as soon as we possibly can”.

Woolworths customers who are being forced to self-isolate and cannot get into stores can fill out a priority assistance form online.

“The introduction of product limits has been a difficult but necessary decision to help us manage the unprecedented demand we’ve seen across our stores,” the Woolworths spokesman said.

“They’re about ensuring as many customers as possible have access to food and groceries when they shop while we work with suppliers to get more stock into our stores.

“We appreciate the limits are a concern for large families and we will look to wind them back as soon as we possibly can.”

Panic buyers have stripped shelves of essential items like pasta and toilet paper. Picture: AAP Image/Richard Gosling

A Coles spokeswoman told news.com.au that their supermarkets now had more stock available and there were “signs that the demand is beginning to slow”.

“This is in part due to customers taking heed of advice to stop over-purchasing and also increased numbers of team members working in our stores, support from suppliers to improve availability, introducing purchase limits, reducing the hours of trade and government intervention to relax truck curfews,” she said.

Coles has been assisting families experiencing hardship due to the coronavirus by working with Foodbank and Secondbite to help provide access.

When contacted by news.com.au, Aldi shared a statement last week from their CEO Tom Daunt in which he said product buying restrictions were in place so Aldi was “able to provide Australians access to the essential products they need”.