Shelves empty, cupboards bare

Fat lot of good it is getting down to Coles or Woolies at 7am or 8am when the stores are virtually destocked. Both supermarkets at Coolum Beach on the Sunshine Coast yesterday were innocent of toilet and most paper products. Bad luck for those who did the right thing. But more troubling was the meat section of Coles, with two packs of barbecue ribs. And the fruit and vegetable section half stocked at best. If, as a 77-year-old, I have to get there early at least have something for me to buy. It’s a PR gesture gone wrong.

Paul Everingham, Peregian Beach, Qld

While Woolworths may have thought it had a good idea to help the elderly and people with disabilities to shop early, the fact that many queued up before dawn makes one wonder was this such a good idea?

Having the most vulnerable in our community lining up in the cold and soon to be wet weather is a disaster waiting to happen. Added to this, for many getting up early to be at the shops by 7am is not possible, particularly for those requiring medication to be taken at a certain time before breakfast and those relying on taxis or family members and so on.

Perhaps a better solution would have been to have the hours of 9am to 11am entirely for them. This would also allow the shops to refill their shelves overnight. Better security to ensure the limits are adhered to would also help.

Good intentions on behalf of the stores, but perhaps not thought through thoroughly.

Carryn Mclean, Kingsley, WA

As a 72-year-old, I visited Woolworths, Queanbeyan, this morning to take advantage of the special hours for the elderly. I was told at the door I needed identification. I produced my passport; the door person said that was unacceptable. I produced my driver’s licence — also unacceptable.

It seemed the only acceptable forms of identification were a Pension or Seniors card. I don’t possess either.

Time to call the manager. Fortunately, he had sufficient capacity to calculate my age, so he allowed me entry. Equally fortunate, I did not need toilet rolls or hand sanitiser since neither was available. The marauders put paid to that.

Leon Le Leu, Googong, NSW

The reserved “early shopping for the elderly” is yet another PR con-job. Most elderly don’t get up at 5am to get to a shop by 7am. Whoever thought this one up knows zip about the restrictions of old people. And even if they did, empty shelves is somewhat of an insult to those who made the effort (“Empty shelves greet elderly shoppers at Woolworths”, 17/3).

John George, Terrigal, NSW

I predict the next big thing in retail will be walking sticks and grey wigs.

Glenn Taylor, Brisbane, Qld

If there is so much toilet paper and other paper products like tissues and hand towels in the supply chain why have Woolworths and Coles not flooded the shelves and aisles with it? This would end the madness as people would gain confidence about their availability.

Greg Fraser, Lyneham, ACT

National shame

I was ready to sit down last night and watch ABC’s Four Corners armed with some shoes to throw at the television set so convinced was I that the program would be a hatchet job on our troops. I was disgusted by what I saw. The actions of the SAS troops captured by their own helmet cameras besmirched the 100-year reputation of all Australian soldiers.

Cameras don’t lie. The ridiculously long ADF inquiry into alleged war crimes committed in Afghanistan should be wound up immediately and charges of murder laid. These are matters of national shame that utterly discredit the Special Air Service Regiment.

Paul Clancy, Tanunda SA