Relief for shoppers as RAT supplies swell in supermarkets

Customers hunting for in-demand rapid antigen tests could soon see some relief on supermarket shelves as supplies increase.

RATs have been difficult to locate in recent weeks, with supply chain issues seeing limited stock trickle through to shops.

But in a statement today, Woolworths said it had "significantly improved" its RAT supply, with hundreds of thousands of new kits now available around the country.

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Woolworths is also confident of meeting customer demand throughout February.

"With larger orders coming into our distribution centres, we're now able to send daily shipments to our stores," Woolworths commercial director for everyday needs James Hepworth said.

"We currently have three times as much stock as during the recent peak in demand and will double that volume again by next week."

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Customers are currently limited to one pack apiece - a ruling that's under regular review.

Pack sizes vary from a single test up to seven tests. One- and two-unit packs are priced at $15 a test, while packs with more than two tests are priced at $10 a test.

Nine.com.au has contacted Coles and Aldi regarding their RAT supply.

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The federal government has called for RATs to become the mainstay of COVID-19 testing, but has been criticised for the low availability.

The government has also continued to push back against making the tests publicly available for free, although concession card holders are permitted a limited supply at no charge.

RATs are also available for free through some state-run testing hubs.