Soft, strong and very expensive: Australia shoppers charge fortune for toilet paper amid coronavirus panic

© Provided by Extra.ie

Like death, taxes and Gallagher brothers squabbles, you can guarantee that whenever there’s a crisis, someone will find a way to profit from it — like how shoppers in Australia have done with toilet paper.

The world is currently gripped by the expanding coronavirus outbreak, with confirmed cases reported in Italy, the US, and even here in Ireland.

Australia has 42 confirmed cases, a relatively low number, but that hasn’t stopped the general public going a bit mental and stocking up on life’s essentials such as toilet paper.

© Provided by Extra.ie Panic buying of toilet roll in Australia amid the coronavirus outbreak has left some stores with empty shelves. Pic: REX Features

Shelves in some supermarkets in Australia have been stripped of toilet paper, prompting some enterprising souls to try to make a fast buck selling their stocks on Facebook Marketplace.

© Provided by Extra.ie One seller on Facebook wanted a mere AUD100 for a single roll of toilet paper — which was a bit of a bargain compared to some other prices. Pic: Facebook Marketplace

By a fast buck, of course, we mean anywhere between a few hundred and several thousand — much to the delight and consternation of social media users.

© Provided by Extra.ie The Quilton brand appeared to be particularly prized by online sellers, with this lot going for AUD500. Pic: Facebook Marketplace

Some have pointed out coronavirus doesn’t cause diarrhoea but that hasn’t stopped panic buyers from stocking up. Cue the hashtag ‘#toiletpaper’.

The women behind me at the Aldi check out #toiletpaper #coronavirusaustralia pic.twitter.com/XnenmvnQaR

— Sonia Giusto (@SoniaCrestpac) March 3, 2020

Live footage of Australian Supermarkets over the past 2 days. #toiletpaper pic.twitter.com/cTFn2XNeEJ

— Ben Grodeck (@benleo_econ) March 3, 2020

Only one word to explain this… #idiots#coronavirus #toiletpaper pic.twitter.com/J8U3EZLYYS

— Bewitched Angel & Katherine Quirke Photography (@abewitchedangel) March 3, 2020

‘It is important that people just go about their business and their normal processes in a calm manner,’ said Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, after speaking with the country’s biggest supermarkets Coles and Woolworths.

© Provided by Extra.ie Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison urged people to go about their normal business and not be tempted to panic buy products. Pic: Getty Images

‘It is not unusual… to face disruption, which can occur for many reasons, from environmental factors such as floods, cyclones and bushfires to third party disruptions,’ a spokesperson for Coles said in a statement.

© Provided by Extra.ie Some online sellers decided to push their luck and post ridiculous prices into the thousands of dollars for a pack of 4 ply toilet roll. Pic: Facebook Marketplace

‘As a result, we have comprehensive response plans in place across our network that cover contingencies including resourcing and product sourcing. We consider this planning part of our core operating model.

‘We are working with our suppliers and transport partners to manage our response to the coronavirus and minimise any long-term impacts on product availability for customers.’