豪スーパー「高齢者・障害者」限定開店始まる　初日は賛否両論

【シドニーＡＦＰ＝時事】オーストラリア最大のスーパーマーケットチェーン、ウールワース・スーパーマーケッツは17日、高齢者と障害者のみが1時間早く入店できるサービスを開始した。同国では、新型コロナウイルスの影響で店舗の棚が空になり、長い行列ができているとされ、一部の地域では引き続きパニック買いも見られた。（写真は豪シドニーのウールワースの店舗）
　食料品の買い込みが目立ったことを受け、ウールワースは高齢者や障害者がトイレットペーパーなどの生活必需品を購入できるよう、１時間の限定開店を実施。トイレットペーパーは何度も売り切れ、暴力沙汰になった事例もある。
　同日にはサービスの導入に伴い、シドニーやメルボルンの複数の店舗前に長い列ができ、何も買えないまま帰った客もいたとされる。
　客からの賛否は分かれている。開店を待っていた７１歳の男性は「大事なことだが、最善策とは思わない。９３歳の人が買い物に来ているのを見たら、最善策は宅配だと思う」と話した。また別の客は、ウイルスが容易に拡散しかねないとして、高齢者を一か所に集めることへの不安を口にした。
　一方、混雑を避けるため早い時間に来店した高齢者らは和やかな雰囲気だったとして、サービスを歓迎する声もあった。
　７５歳の男性は「今朝はうまくやっており、ウールワースは満点だ。客はみんな行儀よくしていた」と話した。
　同チェーンの責任者は、サービス初日であり、「全店舗で万事順調だったわけではないことは認識している」としながらも、この日の教訓を生かし、今週いっぱいは早朝の限定開店を継続する方針を発表した。【翻訳編集ＡＦＰＢＢＮｅｗｓ】
〔ＡＦＰ＝時事〕（2020/03/18-13:13）

Australia's elderly were let in early to supermarkets on Tuesday but there were still scenes of coronavirus panic buying in some areas, with reports of empty shelves and large queues.
After rushes on groceries, the country's biggest supermarket chain opened exclusively for elderly and disabled shoppers for an hour in an attempt to let them purchase essentials like toilet paper -- which has repeatedly sold out and sparked several violent incidents.
But the move prompted long queues outside several stores in Sydney and Melbourne, with reports of shoppers leaving empty-handed.
It's day one of our dedicated shopping hour and we know it wasn't perfect across all of our stores, Woolworths Supermarkets Managing Director Claire Peters said in a statement.
Supermarkets would learn from today and continue the early hour shopping through the week, Peters said.
Despite security guards blocking younger shoppers from entering stores, unprecedented demand still led to many items disappearing.
At Woolworth's Neutral Bay store in Sydney's north shopper sentiment about the move was mixed.
It is important but I don't think it is the best way. The best way, I think must be delivery at home because you look at a 93-year-old coming shopping, it's better to do delivery, 71-year-old Irie Voico told AFP as he waited for the store to open.
Another customer, who didn't want to be identified, said he was worried about bringing all the elderly together in a group where coronavirus could easily spread.
But several welcomed the move, saying the mood was good among those older shoppers turning out early to avoid chaotic scenes.
This morning was well managed, full marks to Woolworths. Everyone was well mannered in there, 75-year-old Max Hill said.
Robyn Swan, 73, said the mood at the store yesterday had been frantic when shelves were bare but today they had been restocked.
I've got what I wanted. I'm trying not to do the frantic shopping but I can see it's easy to do but I live on my own so I don't need to panic like my children with their grandchildren, Swan said.
Australia has nearly 400 confirmed cases of coronavirus so far, with five fatalities.