Coronavirus (COVID-19) Panic Buying?

[lovetravellingoz]

Indeed, I get the impression Aussies are too busy emptying supermarket shelves to go on holiday!
cheers skip

Not at the supermarkets I frequent. And at Costco, when don't shoppers here have full trollies?

I think it is more that hand sanitiser has a run on.

 

[Pushka]

Yes, I might think about actually eating it if you pay me $16 per Kg.

Woolies have obviously been given a chat. Although it's not available online anymore.

 

[Denali]

Coming to more stores soon

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[tgh]

2 pack limit on prepacked potatoes and carrots

Is that per shop or per horse ?

 

[I love to travel]

2 pack limit on prepacked potatoes and carrots.
Limit on potatoes has been there for a week. Carrots since Friday.

Woolworths has taken a hit with the ALH group being closed and having to stand down 8000 staff from that arm (which they are in the process of selling off anyway). Woolworths is also having to pay for extra training and hire costs and wages for the extra 20000 staff being hired and transfered across from partners (like Qantas), other areas of Woolworths Group (Big W and BWS) and new hires.

They cancelled specials on non Easter and catalogue lines in order to reduce hours required to change tickets and promo displays and redirect that time to restocking and customer service. (which was a problem this current promo week as they still sent the stock that would have been on special)

When do you think the specials will come back?

 

[blackcat20]

2 pack limit on prepacked potatoes and carrots.
Limit on potatoes has been there for a week. Carrots since Friday.

Woolworths has taken a hit with the ALH group being closed and having to stand down 8000 staff from that arm (which they are in the process of selling off anyway). Woolworths is also having to pay for extra training and hire costs and wages for the extra 20000 staff being hired and transfered across from partners (like Qantas), other areas of Woolworths Group (Big W and BWS) and new hires.

They cancelled specials on non Easter and catalogue lines in order to reduce hours required to change tickets and promo displays and redirect that time to restocking and customer service. (which was a problem this current promo week as they still sent the stock that would have been on special)

I did notice the shelves at the ends of the aisles looked stocked for specials....

Coles had ice cream on sale so I’m not complaining. Also dish soap.

 

[Himeno]

When do you think the specials will come back?

They initially said 3 weeks. Currently no plans to print physical catalogues for this week (WC 1/4) and next week (WC 8/4). Unless something else changes in the mean time, in theory specials should start again mid April.

I did notice the shelves at the ends of the aisles looked stocked for specials....

They said to stock the ends with whatever the store wanted that was a high seller and in stock and review the ends and stock levels daily based on what arrived the prior night.

 

[Cossie]

Basic mince at Coles, Chisholm was 1/2 price, $3 instead of $6, used mainly to feed our ever increasing bird population, kookas, magpies, noisy minors, currawongs, butcher birds, bower birds and probably others. They also get shredded cheese.
I also picked up some swiss brown mushrooms and baby red potatoes on special. No toilet paper though.

 

[TheRealTMA]

Basic mince at Coles, Chisholm was 1/2 price, $3 instead of $6, used mainly to feed our ever increasing bird population, kookas, magpies, noisy minors, currawongs, butcher birds, bower birds and probably others. They also get shredded cheese.
I also picked up some swiss brown mushrooms and baby red potatoes on special. No toilet paper though.

Some are suggesting that supermarkets have profit gouged by putting up prices, but seems to me that people have forgotten the drought and bushfires and their effect on farmers.

 

[TiredOldFlyer]

Cannot figure why eggs are in very short supply at our local Woolies - except for the Woolies branded.
Has this dam.....d virus caught up with chickens ?.
I might add that numerous other items are low in stock except for the generic Woolworths brand.
Maybe I am just a conspiracy theorist !!

 

[blackcat20]

Cannot figure why eggs are in very short supply at our local Woolies - except for the Woolies branded.
Has this dam.....d virus caught up with chickens ?.
I might add that numerous other items are low in stock except for the generic Woolworths brand.
Maybe I am just a conspiracy theorist !!

Woolies brand sold out at my local stores, went the independent brand instead.

 

[TheRealTMA]

Woolies brand sold out at my local stores, went the independent brand instead.

I refuse to buy Woolies or Coles home branded eggs or milk, and most other home brand products. It screws the farmers and suppliers, IMHO,.

 

[tgh]

Produce store tells me (laying) chickens are out of stock until A P R I L.

bloody preppers…..

 

[TiredOldFlyer]

I refuse to buy Woolies or Coles home branded eggs or milk, and most other home brand products. It screws the farmers and suppliers, IMHO,.

I am with you ITMA - and it's not a humble opinion it's real and positive !

 

[Pushka]

Produce store tells me (laying) chickens are out of stock until A P R I L.

bloody preppers…..

On the weekend lifestyle show the commentators were pretty alarmed at the number of live chickens that had been sold to households who had no idea what they were doing and likely putting them into areas where chooks just should not be.

Post automatically merged: Mar 31, 2020

I refuse to buy Woolies or Coles home branded eggs or milk, and most other home brand products. It screws the farmers and suppliers, IMHO,.

Never ever buy those products. We have some fabulous local producers of egg and milk in SA who sell their own branded milk.

 

[blackcat20]

Never ever buy those products. We have some fabulous local producers of egg and milk in SA who sell their own branded milk.

We've started buying Gippsland Jersey milk, costs a little more but I'd much rather support smaller, family businesses.

 

[burmans]

Produce store tells me (laying) chickens are out of stock until A P R I L.

bloody preppers…..

You do realise that's only a couple of days away?

 

[Lynda2475]

Sorry doesn’t pass the pub test.

Exactly, they dont need to change signs on shelves or print a catalogue to have specials. They can post specials in an online catalogue and just change pricing in the database so you get a nice surprise at the checkout. The fact is they are jacking up proces on almost everything, not just not offering specials.

I understand some farm produce might be a little more expensive due to drought/bushfires but 200-300% increase on some items is excessive - especially when those who have luxury of a car to get to markets or fruit and veg shops arent seeing the same huge increases. If I had a Fruit & Veggie shop within walking distance they would get my business. Right now I dont want to risk taking a bus to the closest one; and am not at office which has a fab one a block away.

Also alot of the fresh procuce Coles & Woolies sell - especially apples - has often been on cold storage for up to 12 months - so predates the fires.

None of that explains why anything that kills the virus i.e. antibacterial laundry wash and bleach is marked up hugely. Detol Laundry is usually $6 a bottle now $10 - Imsorry but that is price goughing. Nor why they keep restocling home brand ahead on name brand goods.

I never buy homebrand, as I dont like the way Woolworths in particular bullies farmers into crazy pricing; and also that in the freezer section almost all of the homebrand stuff is made overseas. Im a chronic label reader and I buy fewer things than ever now since the major supermarkets have made it harder to buy local.

I will forgo having eggs rather than eat homebrand caged eggs. Ive also noticed in past month that pretty much all the meat is now coles brand which doesnt list the % of fat in mince (doesnt have premium option) - I miss the branded ones which were 98% fat free; and branded snags that had flavour. Thank goodness there are 4 butchers in walking distance. If i cant get Lillydale chicken I dont buy chicken - plus the coles branded struff comes in huge packs.

I also hate that apart from IGA (which if was still at office could shop at), Cole/Wollies dont stock 6 pack of brnaded free range eggs (Eco Eggs or Veggs). They force waste by failing to sell things in reasonable sizes for single/couple households.

I agree we need purchase limits on many items, but we are also been encouraged to limit leaving our house. But due to failure to restock items like liquid soap, toilet paper, tissues, chicken breast, Flour, pasta, pasta sauce, onions, potatoes - people are heading out daily to try and get things when they can.

The supermarkets know what you have bought recently they can track it via reward cards and credit cards - so here is an idea why not use that data to stop stockpiling. They would see I havent bought toilet paper (1 * 20 roll pack) since January and therefore I should be given ability to buy my preferred brand when it comes in April before someone who has already bought TP within the last month.

 

[Pushka]

Our old local Chicken shop which I love, sells Lillydale chicken, but not the same as is sourced by Coles, which comes from interstate. Their Lillydale branded chicken comes from the Barossa Valley and there is a world of difference. I did a binge shop from there a couple of weeks ago as it's a 30 minute drive now. But worth it. I love our Foodland but they are so much more expensive to shop at.

 

[nickfromeastryde]

Exactly, they dont need to change signs on shelves or print a catalogue to have specials. They can post specials in an online catalogue and just change pricing in the database so you get a nice surprise at the checkout. The fact is they are jacking up proces on almost everything, not just not offering specials.

I understand some farm produce might be a little more expensive due to drought/bushfires but 200-300% increase on some items is excessive - especially when those who have luxury of a car to get to markets or fruit and veg shops arent seeing the same huge increases. If I had a Fruit & Veggie shop within walking distance they would get my business. Right now I dont want to risk taking a bus to the closest one; and am not at office which has a fab one a block away.

Also alot of the fresh procuce Coles & Woolies sell - especially apples - has often been on cold storage for up to 12 months - so predates the fires.

None of that explains why anything that kills the virus i.e. antibacterial laundry wash and bleach is marked up hugely. Detol Laundry is usually $6 a bottle now $10 - Imsorry but that is price goughing. Nor why they keep restocling home brand ahead on name brand goods.

I never buy homebrand, as I dont like the way Woolworths in particular bullies farmers into crazy pricing; and also that in the freezer section almost all of the homebrand stuff is made overseas. Im a chronic label reader and I buy fewer things than ever now since the major supermarkets have made it harder to buy local.

I will forgo having eggs rather than eat homebrand caged eggs. Ive also noticed in past month that pretty much all the meat is now coles brand which doesnt list the % of fat in mince (doesnt have premium option) - I miss the branded ones which were 98% fat free; and branded snags that had flavour. Thank goodness there are 4 butchers in walking distance. If i cant get Lillydale chicken I dont buy chicken - plus the coles branded struff comes in huge packs.

I also hate that apart from IGA (which if was still at office could shop at), Cole/Wollies dont stock 6 pack of brnaded free range eggs (Eco Eggs or Veggs). They force waste by failing to sell things in reasonable sizes for single/couple households.

I agree we need purchase limits on many items, but we are also been encouraged to limit leaving our house. But due to failure to restock items like liquid soap, toilet paper, tissues, chicken breast, Flour, pasta, pasta sauce, onions, potatoes - people are heading out daily to try and get things when they can.

The supermarkets know what you have bought recently they can track it via reward cards and credit cards - so here is an idea why not use that data to stop stockpiling. They would see I havent bought toilet paper (1 * 20 roll pack) since January and therefore I should be given ability to buy my preferred brand when it comes in April before someone who has already bought TP within the last month.

Fruit and veg shops in our area prices have increased by at least as much as Woolies and Coles. Haven't been to any fresh food markets.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Just had my flu shot and as the Woolworths was only 100m away I combined the trip out with a grocery shop.

The Woolworths had:

• Extremely few customers (about 10.30-11.00 am)
• Most things in ample supply with fully stocked shelves. Just no toilet paper or hand sanitiser

Nice to see some sanity again.