Supermarkets reinstate buying limits
Supermarkets have reinstated buying limits after Victoria’s announcement to reintroduce stage three coronavirus restrictions saw a resurgence of stock shortages across the state.
Residents in metropolitan Melbourne and the Mitchell Shire will be placed under stage three restrictions from 11.59pm on Wednesday for six weeks, and will only be allowed to leave their homes for four reasons: food and supplies shopping, medical care and caregiving, exercise, and study and work.
Coles and Woolworths reimposed purchase limits on Wednesday morning after queues were seen in stores following the announcement yesterday.
Woolworths stores and online services in Victoria now observe two-pack limits on:
- Frozen vegetables
- Frozen potatoes
- Frozen fruit
- Frozen fish
- Frozen poultry
- Pre-packed sausages from the meat department
- Pre-packed burger patties, rissoles and meatballs from the meat department
- Pre-packed carrots
- Pre-packed potatoes
- Chilled fresh milk
- Sliced bread loaves from the bakery department
- Frozen pizza
- Frozen party snacks
- Frozen meals
- Frozen seafood
- Chilled juice
- Pre-packed bacon
- Tissues
- Dry pasta
- Eggs
- Flour
- Hand sanitiser
- Long life milk
- Mince
- Paper towel
- Rice
- Sugar
The two-pack limit also continues to apply to toilet rolls in all states and territories.
“We have more than enough stock flowing from our distribution centres into stores to support all our customers’ food and grocery needs,” a Woolworths spokesman told News.com.au. “We encourage our customers to continue shopping as they usually would.”
Coles said all its supermarkets, Express stores and online services within the affected areas now have two-pack limits on the following items:
- Pasta
- Flour
- Sugar
- Rice
- Chicken breast
- Hand sanitiser
- Chicken Thigh
- Liquid soaps
- Chilled pasta
- Long-life milk
- Eggs
- Mince meat
- Paper towels
- Fresh white milk
- Frozen chips
- Frozen desserts
- Frozen fruit
- Tissues
- Frozen vegetables
The supermarket giant’s one-pack limit on toilet paper remains.