Woolworths ‘goes to extreme lengths’ to stop people from buying toilet paper in bulk – as security officers are spotted guarding piles at Coles
- Local Woolworths handing out toilet paper from cigarette counter
- Woolworths also announces ‘two pack per person’ toilet paper policy today
- The move comes following a ‘one pack per person’ announcement by rival Coles
- Both supermarket giants are reacting to shortages due to the run on toilet paper
- The toilet paper shortages have been caused by fears surrounding coronavirus
- Scare has resulted in fist fights and knife fights between desperate customers
Shoppers have claimed a Melbourne Woolworths store has resorted to storing its toilet paper behind its cigarette counter in a bid to stop people buying in bulk.
‘Woolworths near me is now handing out packs of toilet paper on request from the cigarette counter because people don’t know how to behave themselves’, one customer claimed online.
However, a Woolworths spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia that handing out toilet paper from behind the customer service desk was ‘not policy’.
‘The only product handed out from the customer service desk in hand sanitiser,’ the spokesperson added.
It comes as photos begin to circulate of security officers guarding piles of precious toilet paper after a spate of fights between desperate shoppers amid the coronavirus panic buying frenzy.
Shoppers (pictured) stocking up on toilet paper in a Woolworths store earlier this week. In one development, a reddit user reported that their local Woolies was handing out toilet paper packs from behind the ‘cigarette counter’
Security officers have started guarding toilet paper piles at Coles supermarkets
Coles earlier today that its customers would be limited to one pack per transaction, both in-store and online.
‘We have made the decision to change the limit to one pack per customer so that toilet rolls are available for more of our customers, particularly the elderly and people who are unable to purchase in large volumes,’ said a Coles spokesperson on news.com.
Woolworths followed Coles in announcing new restrictions this afternoon, however, they are letting shoppers take home two packs rather than one.
Both decisions follow announcements earlier in the week by the two chains that people would be restricted to four rolls per person.
Aldi and Costco have also announced similar restrictions.
Security guards have been spotted inside Australian supermarkets after a string of brawls. Two women were charged after an alleged brawl in Woolworths, pictured left, while two other women were spotted scrappign in a Coles, pictured right.
Throughout Australia, supermarkets have been running out of toilet paper as worried people react to the coronavirus scare.
Images of empty shelves and long queues of people waiting to stock up on the paper have circulated throughout the country, and people have even resorted to fist fights in efforts to secure their toilet paper supplies.
Police were called to the scene at a Woolworths store at Chullora in Sydney’s south-west on Saturday morning after reports a 49-year-old woman had been assaulted.
A mother and daughter, aged 60 and 23, were charged with affray over the alleged brawl.
Another fight was filmed between two women at a Melbourne Coles, although viewers were quick to label it staged after it was revealed that YouTube prankster Jamie Zhu filmed the stunt.