Supermarkets impose tissue limits during hay fever season – some customers feel it's discriminatory
- Replies 20
The spring season has arrived, folks! It's a wonderful time of the year, and most people (us included!) celebrate the warmer weather and longer days by making several plans to explore the great outdoors – there's just no shortage of fun things to do!
The air is getting warmer, flowers are starting to blossom, and nature is starting to wake up from its winter slumber. Festivals fill every calendar, and every part of the country has great outdoor activities to offer. What's not to love?
Many Aussies think that spring is the perfect time to go out again after being stuck inside all winter, but sadly, not everyone has that option.
For many people, the first day of September also marks another thing in their calendars – and that is the beginning of the dreaded hay fever season.
Spring also means allergy season in Australia. Credit: Australia Wide First Aid.
Those who suffer from seasonal allergic rhinitis, sometimes known as 'hay fever', may have trouble breathing during certain times of the year—such as spring.
When you are allergic to something in the environment, that thing makes your immune system release a chemical called histamine, which is used to fight off infections. Histamine is what makes you sneeze, have a runny nose, and have itchy or watery eyes.
This is why, around this time of year, a lot of Aussies usually go to the local supermarkets to stock up on facial tissues.
Because of this, major supermarkets are forced to implement buying limit policies so that there are enough supplies to go around for every customer.
But not everyone agrees…
A Woolworths shopper with hay fever claims the store's strict purchasing limits are biased against those with allergies. Credit: AAP.
An angry customer wrote a long message on Woolworths' Facebook page, complaining that she went into the store but was shocked to find that she could only buy two packs of tissues.
'As a chronic hay fever sufferer, I believe this is total discrimination against people such as myself. There are no limits on the amount of toilet paper you can buy, and yet there are on tissues? Get your act together, Woolworths. I'm very disappointed,' she wrote.
It didn't take long for a Woolies representative to respond to the woman's post, saying that they had to implement the two-pack-per-customer limit because of the high demand for tissues caused by the recent cold snap and the early start to flu season.
'We've placed a product limit on so customers have fair access to the product with supply being partially impacted. We encourage customers to continue shopping as they normally would,' they responded.
However, the woman continued to insist that the tissues were necessities for her and that the grocery chain did not completely comprehend the plight of those who suffer from hay fever.
'Woolworths, I had run out and NEEDED these items. 2 x boxes of tissues and 1 x 8 purse packs, I would not deem excessive and 'stealing' from anyone the opportunity to buy tissues,' she wrote in her reply.
'Clearly, you do not have an issue with hay fever and don't fully understand the struggle hay fever sufferers have. I have gone through one box today alone.'
Woolworths said that the limit of two packs per customer was put in place because of the high demand for tissues. Credit: Getty Images/Chris Putnam.
The woman's post attracted the attention of many other Woolies shoppers on social media, but most of them did not seem to feel sorry for her. Many called her 'unreasonable' for complaining, while others reminded her that she still had other options.
'Imagine if there were no restrictions and there were no tissues on the shelf because everyone brought heaps,' one user wrote in the comments.
'I think you'd be more annoyed than only being able to buy 2 out of 3. Just walk out of the store, put the other tissues in your car, come back in and buy your next lot of tissues.'
'Petulant tantrums won't change the fact that there's a severe shortage,' another person pointed out, while a third suggested she can use toilet paper instead.
It should come as no surprise that Woolworths is not the only supermarket that presently imposes purchasing restrictions for tissues.
As the country fights flu, COVID, and other viral outbreaks due to the outgoing winter weather, Coles has also been implementing limits on tissue purchases since July because of supply constraints.
What do you think, folks? Are Woolies and Coles right to put limits on how many tissue products you can buy? Or should customers be able to buy as much as they want? Share your thoughts in the comments!
The air is getting warmer, flowers are starting to blossom, and nature is starting to wake up from its winter slumber. Festivals fill every calendar, and every part of the country has great outdoor activities to offer. What's not to love?
Many Aussies think that spring is the perfect time to go out again after being stuck inside all winter, but sadly, not everyone has that option.
For many people, the first day of September also marks another thing in their calendars – and that is the beginning of the dreaded hay fever season.
Spring also means allergy season in Australia. Credit: Australia Wide First Aid.
Those who suffer from seasonal allergic rhinitis, sometimes known as 'hay fever', may have trouble breathing during certain times of the year—such as spring.
When you are allergic to something in the environment, that thing makes your immune system release a chemical called histamine, which is used to fight off infections. Histamine is what makes you sneeze, have a runny nose, and have itchy or watery eyes.
This is why, around this time of year, a lot of Aussies usually go to the local supermarkets to stock up on facial tissues.
Because of this, major supermarkets are forced to implement buying limit policies so that there are enough supplies to go around for every customer.
But not everyone agrees…
A Woolworths shopper with hay fever claims the store's strict purchasing limits are biased against those with allergies. Credit: AAP.
An angry customer wrote a long message on Woolworths' Facebook page, complaining that she went into the store but was shocked to find that she could only buy two packs of tissues.
'As a chronic hay fever sufferer, I believe this is total discrimination against people such as myself. There are no limits on the amount of toilet paper you can buy, and yet there are on tissues? Get your act together, Woolworths. I'm very disappointed,' she wrote.
It didn't take long for a Woolies representative to respond to the woman's post, saying that they had to implement the two-pack-per-customer limit because of the high demand for tissues caused by the recent cold snap and the early start to flu season.
'We've placed a product limit on so customers have fair access to the product with supply being partially impacted. We encourage customers to continue shopping as they normally would,' they responded.
However, the woman continued to insist that the tissues were necessities for her and that the grocery chain did not completely comprehend the plight of those who suffer from hay fever.
'Woolworths, I had run out and NEEDED these items. 2 x boxes of tissues and 1 x 8 purse packs, I would not deem excessive and 'stealing' from anyone the opportunity to buy tissues,' she wrote in her reply.
'Clearly, you do not have an issue with hay fever and don't fully understand the struggle hay fever sufferers have. I have gone through one box today alone.'
Woolworths said that the limit of two packs per customer was put in place because of the high demand for tissues. Credit: Getty Images/Chris Putnam.
The woman's post attracted the attention of many other Woolies shoppers on social media, but most of them did not seem to feel sorry for her. Many called her 'unreasonable' for complaining, while others reminded her that she still had other options.
'Imagine if there were no restrictions and there were no tissues on the shelf because everyone brought heaps,' one user wrote in the comments.
'I think you'd be more annoyed than only being able to buy 2 out of 3. Just walk out of the store, put the other tissues in your car, come back in and buy your next lot of tissues.'
'Petulant tantrums won't change the fact that there's a severe shortage,' another person pointed out, while a third suggested she can use toilet paper instead.
It should come as no surprise that Woolworths is not the only supermarket that presently imposes purchasing restrictions for tissues.
As the country fights flu, COVID, and other viral outbreaks due to the outgoing winter weather, Coles has also been implementing limits on tissue purchases since July because of supply constraints.
What do you think, folks? Are Woolies and Coles right to put limits on how many tissue products you can buy? Or should customers be able to buy as much as they want? Share your thoughts in the comments!
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