- Title: Australia supermarket shelves empty again due to virus panic
- Date: 14th March 2020
- Summary: SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA (MARCH 14, 2020) (REUTERS) PEOPLE GRABBING TOILET PAPER OFF SHELF / PEOPLE TALKING TO EACH OTHER / EMPTY SHELVES / MAN SURVEYING EMPTY SHELVE MAN PUSHING TROLLEY INTO CHECK OUT AREA WITH SURPLUS TOILET PAPER PACKAGES / WOMAN TELLING MAN HE HAS TOO MANY PACKAGES AND REMOVES PACKAGES FROM TROLLEY / MAN ARGUING PEOPLE GOING INTO AND EMERGING FROM COLES SUPERMARKET SHELVES WITH LIMITED SUPPLY OF PASTA (SOUNDBITE) (English) UNIDENTIFIED SHOPPER, SAYING: "People always say we're going to cut down on carbs and whatever, but look at that. I am Italian, (inaudible) and then what happened, I think it's an exaggeration. You know what I mean? Because it's just a virus. Virus, flu virus, you know evolves every single year, so they're going to find out the vaccine." EMPTY CONTAINERS FOR PASTA PACKAGES ON SHELVES EMPTY SHELVES WHICH SHOULD CONTAIN TOILET PAPER (SOUNDBITE) SHOPPER REBECCA, SAYING: "It's not annoying to me because I happened to get a bulk buy of toilet paper because that's the way I buy my toilet paper. So I'd probably feel a lot more passionately about it if I actually needed some toilet paper. But, cause, I don't. But I feel for pensioners and older people who can't just buy the things they need to buy because people are stupid." EMPTY AND HALF FULL CONTAINERS OF FOOD PACKAGES PEOPLE WALKING ALONG MEDICINE AISLE EMPTY SHELVES WHICH SHOULD CONTAIN MEDICINE PEOPLE WALKING THROUGH AISLES AND LINING UP AT CHECK OUT
- Embargoed: 28th March 2020 04:53
- Keywords: Australia COVID-19 Sydney coronavirus panic-buying shoppers stockpiling toilet paper
- Location: SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA
- City: SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA
- Country: Australia
- Topics: Health/Medicine
- Reuters ID: LVA001C50V22V
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:Australian shoppers flocked to supermarkets across Sydney on Saturday (March 14) to stock up on supplies as the spread of coronavirus sparked more panic-buying.
To prevent shoppers around the country from further stripping supermarket shelves of staples, Australia's major grocers Woolworths Group and Coles have put limits on purchases of some routine grocery items, such as pasta, paper towels, toilet paper and rice.
The demand for toilet paper, in particular sparked the trending hashtags #toiletpapergate and #toiletpapercrisis on Twitter. Baffled officials have called for calm.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Friday (March 13) called for an end from Monday to all non-essential gatherings of more than 500 people, including sporting and cultural events, and urged people to reconsider overseas trips. Ahead of the ban on big gatherings, the Australian Formula One Grand Prix, scheduled for this weekend, was cancelled.
(Production: Jill Gralow, James Redmayne) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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