Woman with a disability cries describing the selfishness of Woolworths shoppers

Disabled woman bursts into tears as she reveals how Woolworths shoppers pushed her aside to grab mince and tissues – leaving her empty handed

  • Jane Housley who has multiple sclerosis traumatised by supermarket behaviour
  • The woman, 61,  attended Woolworths trial of shopping for elderly and disabled
  • She tearfully described how able-bodied people pushed the old on walkers 
  • Coronavirus symptoms: what are they and should you see a doctor?

A woman with a central nervous system illness has tearfully described how selfish coronavirus panic buyers pushed aside the elderly at her supermarket.

Jane Housley, a 61-year-old woman with multiple sclerosis, got up at 5.30am on Tuesday so she could shop at her Woolworths in western Sydney.

She queued up as Australia’s biggest supermarket chain started a trial of restricting shopping to the elderly and those with disabilities between 7am and 8am.

Once inside, she found there was no minced meat, tissues or sanitary products.

A woman with a central nervous system illness has tearfully described how selfish coronavirus panic buyers pushed aside the elderly at her supermarket. Pictured is a Woolworths in Sydney

Making matters worse was the behaviour of customers who shouldn’t have been at the Woolworths.

‘It actually brought me to tears because I was so taken aback by the behaviour of people who appeared to be completed able-bodied literally pushing away people in walkers or people like myself who are leaning on something to keep them up,’ she told the ABC’s 7.30 program. ‘So yes, sorry, it’s quite distressing.’

Ms Housley failed to find what she needed despite being one of the first to arrive at her local Woolworths supermarket shortly after 6.30am.

‘People rushed the door. The staff weren’t checking. They passed us, the people went in and just, removed things from the shelves,’ she said.

‘One lady in particular, the whole bottom of her trolley was covered in pasta sauce.’

Jane Housley, a 61-year-old woman with multiple sclerosis, got up at 5.30am on Tuesday so she could shop at her Woolworths in western Sydney only to face shoppers pushing over the elderly on walkers

Jane Housley, a 61-year-old woman with multiple sclerosis, got up at 5.30am on Tuesday so she could shop at her Woolworths in western Sydney only to face shoppers pushing over the elderly on walkers

Woolworths and Coles last week introduced a one-pack limit on toilet paper as fears about coronavirus self-isolation saw brawls break out in supermarket aisles.

Woolworths grocery limits

·Tissues – two pack limit per shop;

· Paper towel, serviettes and wipes – one pack limit per shop;

· Toilet paper – one pack limit per shop;

· Hand sanitiser – two unit limit per shop; and

· Bulk rice (2kg+) – one pack limit per shop.

Source: Woolworths, March 12, 2020  

Woolworths has also introduced limits on 2kg bags of rice and hand sanitiser.

The bulk buying of groceries has become so severe Prime Minister Scott Morrison demanded Australians be considerate.

‘Stop hoarding. I can’t be more blunt about it. Stop it,’ he said in a national address from Canberra on Wednesday.

‘That is not who we are as a people. It is not necessary. It is not something that people should be doing.

‘It is distracting attention and efforts that need to be going into other measures, to be focusing on how we maintain supply chains into these shopping centres.

‘It’s ridiculous. It’s un-Australian, and it must stop, and I would ask people to do the right thing by each other in getting a handle on these sorts of practices.’

Woolworths, Australia's biggest supermarket chain, started a trial of restricting shopping to the elderly and those with disabilities between 7am and 8am. Pictured is a supermarket at Sunbury in Melbourne's north

Woolworths, Australia’s biggest supermarket chain, started a trial of restricting shopping to the elderly and those with disabilities between 7am and 8am. Pictured is a supermarket at Sunbury in Melbourne’s north

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