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New video shows desperate effort to secure baby formula at Coles

Chaotic scenes inside Australia’s leading supermarkets continue as new video has emerged of shoppers crowding a Cole’s aisle in an attempt to land baby formula.

Footage uploaded to Facebook by shopper Corey Zammit shows a long queue snaking between aisles at Sydney’s Hurstville store earlier this week as a delivery of the in-demand product hit the shelves.

Mr Zammit told Yahoo7 News he believed there were around 30 customers, including schoolchildren, jostling for their two tin maximum.

“There were even school girls lining up to get their parents the two tins obviously trying any means to take advantage of (the limit),” he said.

The queue quickly expanded as a Coles employee stacked the shelf with baby formula. Source: Corey Zammit
The queue quickly expanded as a Coles employee stacked the shelf with baby formula. Source: Corey Zammit

He said he also spotted customers running back and forth in a bid to manipulate the system.

Mr Zammit went on to add he failed to see how supermarkets could guarantee parents formula when it appeared that “30 to 40 people are taking every last bit of stock” on a regular basis.

The footage is the latest clip in a series of damning incidents surrounding baby formula and its sale in Australian stores.

Just last month, footage of Woolworths customers holding boxes of what appeared to be baby formula tins was met with an angry response online.

While Coles and Woolworths have previously said all stores adhere to a strict two tin per customer quota, frustration has grown across the nation with many parents claiming they’ve been left high and dry when trying to buy formula.

Last month Woolworths customers appeared to purchase boxes of formula at one Melbourne store. Source: Reddit
Last month Woolworths customers appeared to purchase boxes of formula at one Melbourne store. Source: Reddit

Bulk buying of baby formula has been a delicate issue in Australia in recent months, fuelled by Woolworths trialling an eight tin policy before backtracking months later.

Shoppers referred to as ‘daigou’ have been regularly filmed raiding Australian supermarkets, often before the tins even hit the shelves.

They send the tins to China to cash in on that country’s seemingly insatiable demand for premium instant formula.

In response to the latest clip, a Coles spokesperson told Yahoo7 News the supermarket is making very effort to ensure all customers have access to baby formula.

“Coles is committed to ensuring our customers have access to infant formula and as a result we are limiting sales quantities to two units per customer,” the spokesperson said.

“We are working with our suppliers on solutions to improve availability for customers.

“Where formula is unavailable, we encourage customers to speak with their local store manager.”