Buying limits return in Victoria in response to five-day lockdown

Coles has announced buying limits for 26 different product lines in response to Victoria’s snap decision to go back into lockdown.

Coles has reintroduced buying limits in Victoria in response to the state’s latest lockdown. Picture: David Crosling

Coles and Woolworths have announced buying limits on certain items in Victoria in response to the sudden five day lockdown declared from midnight, with rival Woolworths expected to follow suit shortly.

The move brings back memories of 2020 when the emerging pandemic triggered panic shopping in the supermarkets, with people fighting over products in the aisles and a nationwide run on toilet paper.

Coles said in a statement on Friday that to help customers access the food and groceries they needed, it had also increased service levels for Coles Online.

Early reports of panic buying have already surfaced in Victoria, just an hour after Daniel Andrews announced a snap lockdown.

Footage of shoppers filling trolleys and joining snaking lines at checkouts has surfaced online, as Victorians prepare for their third lockdown.

Woolworths - shoppers have already launched into a buying frenzy @TheMelbCityNews @theheraldsun pic.twitter.com/1DqNiSwc1w

— Grace McKinnon (@GraceMcKinnonL) February 12, 2021

“Panic buying in full force at Gladstone Park Woolworths,” one shopper said online.

To help manage demand for key staple items, limits are now in place at all Coles supermarkets, Coles Online and Coles Express stores in Victoria.

Woolworths Victoria assistant state manager, John Di Tirro said the supermarket chain would remain open as an essential service.

“We have plenty of stock to draw on from our suppliers and distribution centres and our team will be hard at work making sure it flows into our stores in large volumes over the coming days”.

“We encourage Victorian to be mindful of others in the community and to continue shopping as they usually would”.

The Australian Retailers Association tagged the shock new lockdown a “devastating blow” for Victorian retailers.

ARA chief executive Paul Zahra said some of the horrors of 2020 were now returning.

“They’ve been through so much in the past year and have done their best to return to an even footing in recent months. Unfortunately, some of the horrors of 2020 continue.

“We certainly hope the Victorian health authorities get on top of this quickly and that this lockdown doesn’t drag out for longer than it needs to.”

The five-day lockdown will also affect Valentine’s Day, which falls on Sunday and is a key driver of sales for retail, from buying gifts and flowers to restaurants.

“Sadly, there won’t be much love in the air for Victorian businesses this Valentine’s Day. Last minute shopping will be curtailed and romantic dinner date plans have been dashed. That’s a massive blow for restaurants who would have been fully booked for one of their busiest nights of the year,” Mr Zahra said.

“As we said in response to WA and other snap lockdowns - we have to learn to live with COVID and manage things in a responsible way without devastating business and livelihoods.”

He called on uniform COVID measures across the country.

“It’s time to have consistency from state and territory governments when it comes to COVID restrictions. At the moment, businesses are at the mercy of the different approaches from the various Premiers with very little planning time around what the latest restrictions mean.

“The uncertainty and confusion around ‘trigger points’ has been a confidence killer and one of the key lessons out of this pandemic is to have a nationally consistent approach, with clear criteria, so business can at least operate with some sort of certainty.

“The vaccines can’t come soon enough, but even when they’re rolled out, we’ll still be living with COVID for some time, so the existing challenges will remain for retail.”