Shopper pushes disabled Perth woman to get last pack of toilet paper
A Perth woman in a wheelchair said she was pushed by another shopper as she reached for the last pack of toilet paper on a supermarket shelf.
Jacqui Giles was about to pick up the final pack of toilet paper when another customer shoved her out of the way at a Woolworths in Subiaco on Sunday.
"I reached down to go grab it, and she just pushed me and grabbed the toilet paper and went off," Ms Giles told 9News.
Jacqui Giles was shoved in the supermarket by a woman hoarding toilet paper. Nine
Ms Giles said her partner followed the woman to her car to see evidence of toilet paper hoarding.
"She had four 36-packs in her car," she said.
Ms Giles said the behaviour was "really selfish".
"If someone did that to my grandparents I wouldn't be happy, or to anyone who needs it.
"Some people could be quite sick and (have) bowel disease, and they really do need it."
Jacqui Giles lamented how people's behaviour in supermarkets is hurting the most vulnerable. Nine
She was able to buy a pack earlier today.
Industry Minister Karen Andrews decried panic buying behaviour.
"Firstly - there is no need for people to continue to buy extensive amounts of toilet paper," she said.
"We have adequate supplies of that in Australia, and quite frankly, people's usage is not likely to change.
"So there is no need to panic buy that."
Empty toilet paper shelves in Woolworths, Wetherill Park, Sydney. Janie Barrett
There is not any nationwide shortages of any major supermarket item, but people's panic-buying behaviour is making it difficult to keep them on the shelves.
"The issue that we are experiencing at the moment is getting the goods out of our distribution centres and on to the shelves.
"The more panic buying that continues, the more difficult that is, which means that people will walk into stores and they will see shelves that are not fully stocked.
"That is only a restocking issue. It is not a supply issue.
"So if everyone goes back to their normal purchasing behaviour at a supermarket, there is no cause for alarm."
Panic-buying behaviour has prompted a rebuke from Aldi CEO Tom Daunt earlier today.
"The increase in violence that retailers have seen over the past few weeks is absolutely unacceptable," Mr Daunt said.
"We would ask everyone to be considerate and compassionate in the way they shop."
Aldi has joined other supermarkets in introducing limits on toilet paper, dry pasta, flour, rice, paper towels, tissues and hand sanitiser.
Yesterday a blind Melbourne woman reported having toilet paper stolen from her shopping trolley.
"Because we cannot see, people are stealing from us," she told 9News.
"Please consider other people who are disadvantaged because we can't get food because we don't have cars."
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