Victorian shoppers are back on rations, with major supermarket chains reintroducing product limits to prevent a second wave of shortages.
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Supermarkets are again urging regional shoppers not to engage in panic buying amid reports that a surge in COVID-19 cases has led to renewed stockpiling of items in Victoria.
The final restrictions on purchase limits were only lifted just under two weeks ago.
Woolworths has reinstated a purchase limit of two items on toilet paper, hand sanitiser, paper towel, flour, sugar, pasta, mince, long-life milk, eggs and rice across its Victorian stores.
The preventative move is in response to significantly elevated demand seen over the past 24 hours in certain parts of Melbourne. It will support social distancing in stores and ensure more customers have access to the products they need.
Woolworths Supermarkets managing director Claire Peters said she understood many Victorians were anxious about the recent community outbreak.
"However, they can be assured our stores will remain open with plenty of stock in our warehouses to replenish our shelves," Ms Peters said.
"We'll closely monitor demand across Victoria in the coming days and look to wind back the limits as soon as we can."
Coles Group CEO Steven Cain said the health and safety of customers and team members remain Coles' top priority.
"Following discussions with the federal and Victorian governments, as well as other retailers, Coles is implementing temporary purchase limits for our Victorian supermarkets to help us manage demand for key staple items," he said.
"We ask that customers continue to shop normally so that everyone can have access to the food and groceries they need."
The following purchase limits are now in place at all Coles supermarkets in Victoria, as well as Lavington, Albury and Deniliquin in NSW, which are all stocked from stores stocked from Victorian distribution centres.
Coles has also reduced the amount of toilet paper 1, pasta 2, hand sanitiser 2, mince 2, paper towel 1, UHT milk 2, flour 2, eggs 2, sugar 2 and rice 2 that customers can purchase.
In March, supermarket shelves were left bare by people stockpiling toilet paper over fears of running out.
The widespread panic buying led to Prime Minister Scott Morrison at the time sternly telling Australians to "stop hoarding".