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Toilet Paper Panic Buying Has Resumed In Melbourne As Coronavirus Cases Rise

Toilet Paper Panic Buying Has Resumed In Melbourne As Coronavirus Cases Rise

Woolworths has noticed an 'elevated demand' in toilet paper sales but says there is plenty of stock for everyone.

Stewart Perrie

Stewart Perrie

Shopping centres in parts of Melbourne have reported an 'elevated demand' in toilet paper.

It comes at a time where coronavirus cases have spiked in the Victorian capital for several days in a row and the Premier has threatened to put parts of the state in lockdown if things don't improve.

When the coronavirus pandemic was taking hold in Australia in March, people were flocking to supermarkets around the country and clearing shelves of essential items.

Shelves were wiped clear during the height of panic buying in March.
PA

Toilet paper was one of those items and some of the big name supermarkets had to introduce limits on how much people could buy to ensure all shoppers could get what they needed.

A Woolworths spokesperson has told The Age that the 'elevated demand' has only been seen in a 'handful' of stores in Melbourne.

In a statement, the spokesperson warned against panic buying loo roll again, adding: "We have plenty of stock to draw on in our distribution centres and will replenish shelves in those stores quickly.

"We'll continue to keep a close eye on stock levels in the coming days, and ask customers to buy only what they need."

PA

Daily Mail Australia has reported some supermarket shelves have been wiped clean.

One Brimbank resident told the site that he nipped to the shops because he didn't want to be 'caught out again'.

But please, let this be a message to you all: Don't panic buy toilet paper. There is no need. Just buy what you need and everyone will be okay.

You certainly don't want to end up like the person who bought thousands of rolls of loo roll, only to realise they would never be able to store that much and tried to return it.

The South Australian shopper went into one of the state's Drake's supermarkets and tried to make a deal. Drakes supermarkets director John-Paul Drake revealed the shocking case of stockpiling in a YouTube video.

He said he was working in one of the stores when the receptionist called him, saying: "You have got to hear this."

Mr Drake said he couldn't believe his ears when the unidentified shopper wanted to return some of the items he had purchased.

"He said he wanted to get a refund on 150 32-packs of toilet paper and 150 units of one-litre sanitiser," the supermarket director said. "This sort of behaviour is disgraceful. He is the sort of person that's causing the problem in the whole country."

Unsurprisingly, John refused the deal. But that didn't stop the shopper from trying to hand the items over, coming in the next day to sweeten the deal.

Shoppers were devastated when they couldn't buy toilet paper a few months ago.
PA

Mr Drake continued: "He had all the receipts, he came back and offered me a 30 percent discount.

"We have only been selling these items one at a time. He would have had to have come in 150 times to buy them. That's 150 (other) customers who have missed out.

"We're all about supporting the local community. I want products bought here to stay here but this is ridiculous."

The Drakes supermarket director alleged the man had been working with a team of shoppers to buy items while supply was in heavy demand to then sell it at an inflated price.

Featured Image Credit: PA

Topics: News, Australia