Shocking moment hoarders fill FIVE shopping trolleys with baby formula at a Coles supermarket in a Westfield shopping centre
- Video shows five trolleys filled with baby formula outside a Sydney supermarket
- Footage was captured by an outraged shopper at Coles in Hurstville
- The shopper claims four people were gaming the system to stockpile supplies
A video has emerged online which appears to show shoppers hoarding baby formula.
In the video, a woman is seen placing tins of the product into a trolley near the checkout, with four other full trolleys seen nearby.
The video was filmed at the Coles supermarket at Hurstille’s Westfield Shopping Centre in Sydney on Friday night by an outraged shopper, who later shared it on social media.
A video has emerged online which appears to show a number of shoppers hoarding baby formula
‘In the height of a worldwide pandemic and empty shelves in your stores everyday, can you please explain to me how people, who are known hoarders of baby formula, are still able to get around your store policy and buy your whole supply of baby formula in one hour?’ she wrote.
The shopper said she arrived at 9pm to do her grocery shop while the store was quiet when she saw the full trolleys.
She said there were four customers who were buying four tins of formula at a time, placing the product in a trolley outside the store and returning to buy more.
‘Four trolleys full of baby formula sold tonight… Nothing was left behind the counter for your customers tomorrow. Your staff said as long as it is 4 per transaction it’s ok because you need to sell your products,’ she wrote.
In the video a woman is seen placing tins of the B2 product into a trolley outside the cash register where a line of four other trolleys brimming with the product.
‘Parents and our Australian childcare centres can’t even get formula to feed the babies we care for. Time to re-think policy again!’
A spokesperson for Coles said they were frustrated to hear about stockpiling.
‘It’s disappointing when any customer doesn’t comply with the product limits that are in place to ensure everyone has access to the essential groceries they need,’ the spokesperson said.
‘Coles is committed to ensuring our customers have access to infant formula and as a result we are limiting sales quantities to four units per customer.
‘Where formula is unavailable, we encourage customers to speak with their local store manager.’
Coles and Woolworths introduced limits for baby formula after a rise in stockpiling behaviour stripped shelves of the product.
The limits were put in place due to a rise in ‘daigou shoppers’ – who bulk buy tins of formula to sell for a profit overseas.
It’s estimated there are at least 80,000 daigou shoppers in Australia.
The video was captured at the Coles supermarket at Hurstille’s Westfield Shopping Centre (pictured) on Friday night by an outraged shopper who shared it on social media