Supermarket shelves are full of toilet paper for the first time in weeks as panic-buyers finally slow down on hoarding.
A pleasantly surprised shopper took a photo of three pallets full of Quilton toilet paper at Costco in Marsden Park, in Sydney’s west, on Saturday.
‘Good to see normalcy finally returning. Low crowd and no rush,’ the caption read.
Other customers also shared their delight that they were able to purchase toilet paper.
‘I finally found a Kleenex 24 pack this morning at Woolies, felt like I’d won the lottery. Goodbye 1 ply!,’ one person wrote.
A pleasantly surprised shopper took a photo of three pallets full of Quilton toilet paper at Costco in Marsden Park, in Sydney’s west, on Saturday
Woolworths in Lane Cove, in Sydney’s north, still had around 100 packets of toilet paper at midday on Sunday
Another shopper snapped a photo of shelves stocked to the brim with toilet paper at Woolworths in Stud Park Shopping Centre, in Melbourne’s south
‘I ordered a subscription for toilet paper and now I’m seeing toilet paper every time I go to the shop,’ wrote another.
Another shopper snapped a photo of shelves stocked to the brim with toilet paper at Woolworths in Stud Park Shopping Centre, in Melbourne’s south.
Customers were seen calmly walking down the aisles without rushing to grab a packet.
Woolworths in Lane Cove, in Sydney’s north, still had around 100 packets of toilet paper at midday on Sunday.
The coronavirus pandemic has left supermarkets stripped of essential products including toilet paper, tissues, rice and other pantry items over the last month.
On March 23, supermarket giant Coles said panic buying was starting to slow down.
Chief operating officer Matt Swindells said most shoppers had taken note of Scott Morrison’s stern warning to Australians to stop hoarding groceries.
‘I’m pleased to report that certainly the shopping through our supermarket business has returned somewhere towards normal, and that’s allowed the teams with all the hard work they’re putting in to get stock back into the system,’ Mr Swindells said.
The coronavirus pandemic has left supermarkets stripped of essential products including toilet paper, tissues, rice and other pantry items over the last month. Pictured: Woolworths at Town Hall, Sydney on March 13
But Coles and Woolworths still have one-pack buying restrictions on toilet paper to prevent hoarders from clearing out shelves.
Some shoppers have even become embroiled in ugly confrontations over the limited stock.
Australia’s major supermarkets have beefed up social distancing measures ahead of the Easter rush.
Woolworths and Coles will limit the number of customers in-store to help combat the spread of coronavirus.
It has left shoppers queuing up on Saturday morning to access stores such as the Woolworths Everton Park in Brisbane’s north.
A worker greeting customers told AAP the store was limiting numbers to 100 people, with restrictions being rolled out nationwide.
Woolworths Supermarkets Managing Director Claire Peters said the number of customers allowed into each store at any one time will be dependent on its size.
He asked customers to consider pre-planning their Easter shopping to avoid the usual Thursday spike in numbers.
‘Traditionally, the Thursday in the lead up to Easter is one of our busiest times in-store,’ he said.
Competitor Coles is also introducing measures to help authorities battle the virus.
‘Team members will be at store entrances to provide assistance and let you know when it is OK to come in,’ chief executive Steven Cain said.
Woolworths also announced they would be switching on their ‘Pick-Up’ service on Monday for Priority Assistance customers with family members, neighbours or friends able to collect goods on their behalf.
There were 5,688 cases of COVID-19 across the country as of Sunday morning, with the death toll rising to 30 after a woman in her 70s died in Victoria, and the death of a man in his 80s at Canberra Hospital.