Woolworths, Coles reveal new rules after 'chaotic' scenes

Supermarkets in Western Australia have announced new product limits, after parts of the state went into a five-day lockdown.

The Perth metropolitan area, Peel and South-West were placed in lockdown on Sunday night, after Western Australia Premier Mark McGowan announced a hotel quarantine security guard tested positive for Covid.

There are concerns the security guard, who was out within the community, may have the contagious UK variant, however genomic testing results should be confirmed on Tuesday.

Chaotic scenes were observed in the region’s shopping centres as the premier announced the lockdown, which started at 6pm on Sunday and is set to be lifted on Friday.

Images shared to social media show supermarkets were packed and people lining up to get into supermarkets.

One person shared photos to Twitter and explained just hours after the lockdown was announced, the shelves at the Woolworths in Subiaco were already stripped bare.

Coles product limits for WA

On Sunday evening, Coles announced product limits would be in place at all Coles supermarkets and Coles Express stores in Western Australia.

Coles customers in WA are only permitted to get one pack of toilet paper or paper towel. Two packs per customer apply to items such as milk, eggs, hand sanitiser and face masks.

Coles product limits for all of Western Australia

One pack per customer applies to:

• Toilet paper

• Paper towel

Two pack per customer applies to:

• 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

Woolworths product limits for WA regions

Woolworths has also reinstated limits on an array of items in Perth, Peel, and South-West regions, both in-stores and online.

Woolworths is permitting customers to purchase two packs of toilet paper in store, along with tissues, pasta, flour and rice.

In a statement released on Monday, Woolworths WA General Manager Karl Weber encouraged people to continue shopping as they usually, and to only purchase what they need.

Supermarkets will remain open during the lockdown, however, if people in those regions must leave the house, for one of the four reasons they are permitted to do so, they must wear a face mask.

Both Coles and Woolworths said customers must wear a face mask while shopping in stores.

Woolworths product limits apply to stores in Perth, Peel and South-West regions

For in-store, two per pack per customer applies to:

• Toilet paper

• Paper Towel

• Tissues

• Pasta

• Flour

• Sugar

• Canned Fish

• Rice

• Noodles

• Longlife Milk

• Longlife Milk Specialty

• Fresh Milk

• Eggs

• Frozen Fruit

• Frozen Desserts

• Burgers & Rissoles

• Sausages

• Prepacked Seafood (frozen and fresh)

For online orders, two products per customer applies to:

• Hand Sanitiser

• Handwash

• Antibacterial Wipes

• Canned Tomatoes

• Canned Vegetables

• Beef

• Chicken

• Lamb

• Pork

• Poultry

• Bread (instore and prop bread)

• Resale Bakery (cakes etc)

• Frozen Chips

• Frozen Veg

• Fresh Pasta

• Smallgoods

• Poultry

Premier ‘disappointed’ by panic buying

During a press conference on Monday, Mr McGowan said he was “disappointed” to see people panic buying in the wake of the lockdown.

“As we have always said, during lockdown people are permitted to visit the shops to pick up groceries, I urge people to be reasonable, and only take what you need to,” he said.

Mr McGowan also said Coles and Woolworths are permitted to open an hour early this week, in order to help “older” Western Australians and “limit the rush”.

“The most important thing is for everyone to remain calm, and refrain from panic buying,” he reiterated.

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