Geraldton supermarkets impose buying limits as shoppers buy up big on essentials amid COVID outbreak fears

Shelves were stripped of essentials like toilet paper and bread and buying limits put in place at Geraldton supermarkets on Monday, even though the Mid West remains unaffected by the five-day COVID-19 lockdown. At Coles, the toilet paper aisle was nearly empty by Monday lunchtime, with a shopper who travelled in from a farm grabbing one of the last remaining packs on the top shelf. The scenes were not chaotic or panicked like those seen in Perth, but it’s clear Geraldton locals are stocking up on essentials. “I can’t believe this, it’s ridiculous, you’d think we were in Perth,” she remarked. In all WA stores, Coles has introduced one pack limits per customer for toilet paper and paper towel and a two-pack limit for a string of other items, including milk, hand sanitiser, chicken thighs and breasts, tissues, mince, pasta, rice, eggs and frozen vegetables. The Woolworths purchase limits have only been introduced in select stores. At Woolworths Geraldton, there were no purchase limits on any products, but the sliced bread and toilet paper shelves were looking bare. The only well-stocked brand left to buy at Woolworths was an eco-friendly range selling for $14 for an eight-roll pack. Otherwise the store appeared well-stocked. There were no signs of panic buying at Queens Supa IGA or Rigters IGA, but a handful of customers were sighted wearing masks. Purchase limits on toilet paper and paper towel were in effect at both supermarkets. COLES LIMITS AT ALL WA STORES One pack per customer limits for the following items: • Toilet paper • Paper towel Two pack per customer limits for the following items: • Fresh white milk • Hand sanitiser • Chilled pasta • Liquid soaps • Poultry thighs • Poultry breasts • Tissues • Mince • Burgers • Frozen Vegetables • Sausages • Frozen Chips • Long life milk • Canned meals • Pasta • Canned fish • Flour • Canned vegetables • Rice • Pre-packed seafood • Sugar • Noodles • Eggs • Face Masks