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Coronavirus: Coles announces new change to shopping restrictions

Coles has lifted its restriction on purchasing meat products and fresh milk.

The supermarket announced on Friday it has added to its supply chain by purchasing double the amount it normally buys over the past four weeks.

It had placed restrictions on meat due to panic buying amid the outbreak of COVID-19.

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“The added supply has allowed Coles to remove purchase limits on all meat products in our supermarkets, making it easier for customers to buy the meat they need to feed their family,” Coles told Yahoo News Australia in a statement.

A man walks past a Coles supermarket.
Coles has taken restrictions off buying meat products. Source: AAP (file pic)

Previously, mince was restricted to one pack per person.

Prices on selected beef mince have also dropped by 20 per cent until Tuesday.

Toilet paper remains under restriction with one product per customer but fresh milk has been removed.

UHT milk remains restricted though.

Items still under restriction at Coles (two per person)

  • Pasta

  • Flour

  • Dry rice

  • Paper towels

  • Paper tissues

  • Hand sanitisers

  • Eggs

  • Frozen vegetables

  • Frozen desserts

  • Sugar

  • UHT long-life milk

  • Canned tomatoes

  • Liquid soap

  • Nappies

  • Anti-bacterial wipes

Last month, Coles chief operations officer Matthew Swindells compared the scale of hoarding to festive seasons – but without the usual six months of lead-up planning.

People queueing for a delivery of toilet paper, paper towel and pasta at Coles Supermarket, Epping
People queue for toilet paper, pasta and paper towels at a Coles in Sydney. Source: AAP

"It's not a problem of supply, it's a problem of demand," Mr Swindells told the Seven Network.

"We have done three Christmases in three consecutive weeks from a standing start.

"When you see that immediate lift in demand across a network as large as Coles, it punches a huge stock hole in our supply lines and it takes time to recover."

Toilet paper, in particular, has led to chaos in Australian supermarkets with people involved in arguments and physical altercations just trying to buy some.

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