Determined shopper brings a stool, book, sandwich and thermos of TEA as he patiently waits inside a Coles store for staff to bring in a new load of toilet paper
- A man brought a chair, book and cup of tea along to his grocery shop at Coles
- The customer was prepared to sit and wait all day for toilet paper to be restocked
- He was reportedly sick of returning to the store to find shelves empty again
- Shelves have been stripped bare as people panic buy due to COVID-19 threat
- Globally, more than 300,000 people have been infected in 188 countries
- Coronavirus symptoms: what are they and should you see a doctor?
A shopper who was desperate to nab a packet of toilet paper amid the coronavirus panic-buying crisis arrived in store prepared to wait until the next delivery with a book, cup of tea and stool to sit on.
The customer had reportedly returned to his local Coles supermarket in Adelaide three times in one day in the hopes of snagging the highly sought-after product.
In a photo shared online, the man sat on a small stool at the end of the aisle, determined to wait until the shelves were restocked to avoid missing out again.
‘This is his local shop… He was informed three times that the delivery was coming,’ one woman claimed.
‘He didn’t want to walk in again for nothing, so he came prepared to wait.’
A man brought a chair and cup of tea (pictured) along to his grocery shop at Coles in Adelaide with the hope of sitting and waiting in the toilet paper aisle until staff restocked
He occassionally moved his position in order to get a full scope of when shelves would be restocked amid the coronavirus crisis
Supermarket shelves across Australia have been stripped bare of essential goods – like toilet paper, non-perishable food like pasta and rice, and hand sanitiser – in response to the coronavirus crisis.
The woman who spotted the determined shopper camped out at the Coles said the man also brought a sandwich and a thermos of tea to drink from while waiting.
In the photo, the man sat sipping his tea as other customers, including a woman in face mask, milled around him.
Most Coles and Woolworths stores are receiving a daily delivery of toilet paper – which would usually be more than enough to see them through until the next day.
But due to the increased demand, supermarkets are struggling to keep shelves stocked, and were forced to introduce a two-pack per customer limit.
They’ve also reduced store hours to just 8am to 8pm each day, with an additional hour in from 7am exclusively available for elderly and disabled shoppers to do their groceries in peace.
In the photo, the man sat sipping his tea as other customers, including a woman in face mask, milled around him
In supermarkets throughout Australia, shelves have been stripped bare as people stock up on essentials. Pictured: An elderly woman staring at empty shelves during her grocery shop
The in store hysteria and panic buying recently led Woolworths CEO’s to introduce a ‘trolley distance’ rule – meaning customers must remain at least one trolley’s distance away from each other at all times to ensure they’re enforcing social distancing.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison last week implemented the social distancing policy, in which he encouraged Australians to remain a safe 1.5m distance away from one another to slow the spread of COVID-19.
He also banned international arrivals from visiting Australia until further notice and enforced a strict 14 day self isolation period for anybody returning home to Australia from overseas.
Woolworths CEO Brad Banducci also asked customers to wash their hands before they came into the store, and to use tap and go methods of payment so staff would not have to handle cash.
‘These are undoubtedly testing times for all Australians, given the impact COVID-19 is having on the way we live. And if you believe the experts, we still have a long way to go,’ Mr Banducci said.
More than 304,000 people have been infected with coronavirus throughout 188 countries since the virus spread from China in December 2019.
In Australia alone, cases skyrocketed past 1,000 – including seven people who have died from the respiratory infection.
Pictured: People waiting for the toilet paper delivery in Coles, Epping, amid the coronavirus crisis as a police officer speaks with customers
Markings will be placed every 1.5 metres on the ground at registers at Woolworths to enforce social distancing, a method which has already been seen at post offices in Sydney