A MAJOR supermarket chain has been forced for the first time in more than a year to place ACT limits on one of its most basic products.

Woolworths stores throughout Canberra have capped the sale of toilet paper to two packs per customer after witnessing the latest shopping frenzy amid COVID-19 restrictions.

Panic buying began on Sunday night after the ACT government announced the compulsory use of face masks in some public areas.

After shelves were cleaned out on Monday morning, the ACT manager Michael McKenzie had to introduce the measures despite Woolworths insisting that supplies were in stock.

“Please only buy what you need,” Woolworths said in an ACT statement on its website.

“We are working hard to meet the shopping demand of as many customers as possible.”

Coles and Aldi have not indicated they are placing restrictions on the number of toilet paper rolls are available per customer.

The hoarding of toilet paper rolls in supermarkets follows similar actions from March and April last year when the pandemic first began after customers bought an alarmingly high numbers of paper despite the retailers never running out.

Masks at Woolworths were also limited to one packet per person.