Police forced to hand out toilet paper as panic buying sparks supermarket brawls

Police have been forced to handout toilet paper after panic buying reached dangerous levels at a Woolworths supermarket.

Officers were forced to hand out packs of dunny roll and paper towels at the store in Sydney when it opened on Thursday.  

Footage of from inside the store showed people eagerly lining up for the much sought after product.

Shelves have been stripped bare of toilet paper, pasta, flour and other essential items after the coronavirus pandemic sparked panic buying. 

Supermarkets have been forced to enforce purchasing restrictions and customers are only allowed one unit per person. 

Supplies of toilet paper are plentiful in Australia but supermarkets are currently selling six weeks worth of the product in a single day.   

NSW Police Deputy Commissioner Jeff Loy said: ‘Police are making a concerted effort to ensure the security of shoppers and retail staff across the state amid concerns of “panic buying” due to COVID-19.’

He said police will proactively increase their presence around shopping centres due to the pandemic.   

Footage of the incident showed people eagerly lining up for the much sought after product 

‘Officers will be actively engaging with retailers and customers state-wide not only as a safeguard measure, but also so members of the public don’t feel uneasy going about their daily lives,’ Deputy Commissioner Loy said.

‘Despite these unprecedented circumstances, we are working hard to maintain a sense of normality for the wider community.’

Some people were frustrated that police were forced to hand out toilet paper.

‘Unbelievable, I think the police have better things to do with their time,’ one person said.

Another said: ‘What a sad community we have become when police have to hand out toilet rolls.’