MILDURA has been hit by a second wave of panic buying as cases of COVID-19 continue to rise in Melbourne.
Earlier this week Coles and Woolworths supermarkets moved to temporarily enforce product limits in Victorian stores.
Sunraysia Ritchies and Fishers IGA supermarkets have followed suit, implementing their own product restrictions.
Restrictions focus on limiting the amount of toilet paper, hand sanitiser, paper towel, flour, sugar, pasta, mince meat, milk, eggs and rice customers can buy in one transaction.
Aldi supermarkets confirmed they would not yet introduce restrictions in Victorian supermarkets but were monitoring the situation.
Member for Mildura Ali Cupper said it was disappointing to see supermarket shelves in Mildura bare of toilet paper again despite there being no COVID-19 cases since April.
“It is unbelievable that supermarket shelves in Mildura have already been stripped bare of toilet paper,” Ms Cupper said.
“At no stage during the pandemic have supermarkets closed. There’s just no need to hoard anything.”
Fishers Supa IGA Irymple manager Matt Carter said panic buying was unnecessary.
The Irymple supermarket was well stocked with toilet paper until Thursday, when customers started buying in bulk.
Mr Carter said the supermarket had since enforced a limit of two packs of toilet paper per person.
Midway Market Place owners Steve and April Saunders are preparing to open the new Buronga supermarket on Wednesday.
There are no product limits in New South Wales but Mr Saunders said he was prepared to reinstate them in his own stores if panic buying moved across the border.
“If it gets as bad as it did two months ago, we will have to put restrictions on again,” he said.
Mr Saunders said panic buying was a “double-edged sword”.
Although it increased revenue for supermarkets, it put too much pressure on staff and stock, creating unnecessary stress, he said.
“I hope it doesn’t happen again.”
