Coronavirus crisis: Costco Perth opens to thousands as supermarkets re-stock to cope with COVID-19 panic buyers

Costco Perth threw open its doors half an hour early this morning as thousands queued around the building to get a first glimpse of the bulk buying supermarket.

There was traffic chaos around Tonkin Highway and Dunreath Drive as the new airport based store as shoppers caused gridlock and were forced to leave there cars in the nearby DFO car park to deal with the overflow.

Police were on hand to direct the chaos with the opening coinciding with supermarkets having their shelves stripped bare as the threat of coronavirus grips the state.

Getting up at 2:30am to travel up from Pinjarra to join the queue, Maree Strika, 25, said there were as many as people 20 people in line when she got there at 4am — the first in the queue having got there just after midnight.

After grabbing toilet paper, her only other purchase was a $290 giant teddy bear.

The store is member only and it’s understood more than 20,000 people had signed up before the opening.

Visiting their family in Perth from the US, Arizona couple Maycee and Spencer Lamb said they couldn’t miss the opening of their favourite store while abroad.

They even started their own Facebook page Costco Perth Fans, which has racked up more than 1000 likes since it was established on March 1.

Beeliar mother of two, Tara Black, arrived at 3.50am with her best friend — both on a quest for toilet paper..

“I think the last time we got some was two weeks or so ago. A four pack.. so it didn’t last long. Not to mention my sister and friends don’t have any,” she said.

“But there’s plenty to go around. I cannot fault the Costco staff.”

With two “growing boys”, Ms Black said she was stocking up on enough food for school lunches and as it was her son’s fourteenth birthday she also brought a doughnut cake to celebrate.

There were similar scenes at supermarkets across Perth as Woolworths carried out a massive restock in stores around the city.

In East Fremantle workers were still restocking at 7am, unloading a truck, which arrived as the shop opened.

The queuers, of more than 50 people prior to opening, had to show their senior cards before entry, and within minutes of the shop opening, shoppers were seen leaving, almost everyone with a pack of toilet paper.

"I think a lot of people, including me are finding it very easy going. Someone inside commented there's a lot less pressure," one shopper said.

Despite the restock, early-morning shoppers said the shelves were still bare in the hand sanitizer aisle, and toilet paper was gone in 30 minutes.

One shopper, Jane, told the West Australian she's been forced to make her own sanitizer.

"I still work, so I usually come after work hours," she said.

"You can't buy it, so we've bought all the stuff to make it."