Supermarket giants in Melbourne have adhered to the new government-imposed curfew at 8pm and the product limit restrictions still apply for grocery shoppers.
In the stage four Covid-19 lockdown, Australians are not allowed to leave their homes from 8pm to 5am, except for those going to work as medical frontliners.
Shopping is limited to one person per household per day, within a 5km limit, however the government said shoppers can visit a store beyond the limit if the closest store is farther.
Customers can enter stores until 7.30pm and stores will close at 7.45pm at all Coles supermarkets, Liquorland, Vintage Cellars, First Choice and First Choice Liquor Market stores. Coles Express convenience stores will continue to trade their usual hours. Discount grocer Aldi will close at 7.45pm, AAP reported.
Woolworths has imposed product limits for toilet paper, paper towel, bleach, pasta, flour, canned vegetables and eggs, while Coles has applied limits on meat products that allow only two packets of mince meat, chicken breasts and chicken thighs per customer.
According to The New Daily, customers have been lining up at butcher shops fearing meat shortages due to panic-buying and Covid-19 cases in meat abattoirs. Australians are also stocking up on alcohol at bottle shops.
State premier Daniel Andrews reminded shoppers not to panic buy since supermarkets, pharmacies, bakeries, butchers and bottle shops will still remain open despite the stricter lockdown.
Australians have expressed concern on Twitter over the 5km radius restriction on essential shopping, the measure stirring up confusion on social media.