Woolies, Coles reinstate restrictions in Victoria, NSW as coronavirus prompts panic buying

Supermarket chains are reintroducing purchase limits in Victoria and NSW after a spike in virus cases prompted panic buying.

Restrictions on purchases are being reinstated at Woolworths stores in Victoria. Picture GLENN CAMPBELL

Woolworths, the nation’s biggest supermarket chain, is reintroducing purchase limits in Victoria after a spike in coronavirus cases in the state prompted panic buying again in some Melbourne suburbs.

A source told The Australian that the decision by Woolworths to reinstate buying limits on key grocery staples was made early Wednesday morning following scenes of panic buying in parts of Melbourne.

Coles, the nation’s second-largest supermarket chain, followed Woolworths on Wednesday, announcing buying restrictions for Victoria and some regions of NSW.

The retailers fear renewed panic buying might disrupt grocery supplies in a way seen earlier in the year when the coronavirus pandemic began.

Coles said on Wednesday afternoon it would implement a number of temporary measures to improve the availability of key food and grocery items in its Victorian supermarkets and to help customers shop safely.

Coles chief executive Steven Cain said the health and safety of customers and team members remained the company’s top priority.

“Following discussion with the federal and Victorian governments as well as other retailers, Coles is implementing temporary purchase limits for our Victorian supermarkets to help us manage demand for key staple items,” he said.

“We ask that customers continue to shop normally so that everyone can have access to the food and groceries they need.”

All Coles supermarkets in Victoria, as well as Lavington, Albury and Deniliquin in NSW, will have limits of one toilet paper, one paper towel and two items of hand sanitiser, flour, sugar, pasta, mince, UHT milk, eggs and rice.

Mr Cain said Coles team members were working hard to provide a safe shopping environment and keep shelves stocked for customers.

“We ask that customers continue to treat our team with respect and understanding and follow any requests or signs in store to keep a safe distance,” he said.

Woolworths and other supermarkets

The move by Woolworths was also discussed with other major supermarket retailers as part of the Supermarket Taskforce, established in March by the Department of Home Affairs to resolve issues impacting supermarkets, and other supermarket chains are expected to soon also bring in buying limits in Victoria to match Woolworths.

The purchase limits will hit key grocery categories including toilet paper and will revive for many the angst and frustration of three months ago when panic buying saw shoppers strip the shelves of items such as toilet paper, rice and pasta and which saw fights in the aisles between supermarket shoppers.

However, while those limits were nationwide, the decision by Woolworths to reinstate the purchase restrictions will now only apply to Victoria as health officials grow increasingly concerned the state government has lost control of the coronavirus outbreak within Victoria’s borders.

Woolworths claims this resumption of purchase limits is a “preventative” action in the wake of some scenes of consumers panic buying toilet paper and other groceries in Melbourne suburbs that have become hotspots for new coronavirus outbreaks. The new limits will apply to a range of items from pasta to milk, eggs and hand sanitiser.

Woolworths said on Wednesday afternoon there was now a purchase limit of two items on toilet paper, hand sanitiser, paper towel, flour, sugar, pasta, mince, UHT milk, eggs and rice across its Victorian stores.

Elevated demand

The retailer said the preventative move was in response to significantly elevated demand seen over the past 24 hours in certain parts of Melbourne. The company said it would support social distancing in stores and wanted to ensure customers had access to the products they needed.

Woolworths supermarkets managing director Claire Peters said: “We understand many Victorians are anxious about the recent community outbreak, but they can be assured our stores will remain open with plenty of stock in our warehouses to replenish our shelves.

“While we have healthy stock levels to draw on, we’re taking this precautionary step to help prevent excessive buying and support appropriate social distancing in our Victorian stores.

“We have more than enough product for all of our customers if we all just buy what we need in our weekly shop.

“We’ll closely monitor demand across Victoria in the coming days and look to wind back the limits as soon as we can.”

Woolworths said the re-introduction of limits on select categories would only apply in Victoria because that was where the early signs of a demand surge was occurring.

The restrictions would also apply to online orders. There are no product limits in place outside of Victoria at this time.