Visiting the toilet paper and paper towel aisle in Gunnedah and Tamworth Woolworths stores has left customers with a feeling of déjà vu, with shelves as bare as they were in March when the pandemic began to ramp up.

The second-wave of the toilet paper crisis has meant both Woolworths and Coles have had to put restrictions in place again to limit purchases.

All Woolworths stores nationwide now have a two-pack per customer limit on both products, and Coles has a one-pack per customer limit for the products, "to ensure more customers have access to staple items".

Read also:

Woolworths Supermarkets managing director Claire Peters said the re-introduction was a "precautionary" move.

"We've regrettably started to see elevated demand for toilet roll move outside Victoria," she said in a statement.

"We're taking preventative action now to get ahead of any excessive buying ... and help maintain social distancing in our stores."

Ms Peters made it clear that there was enough for everyone.

"If customers already have enough toilet roll at home, there is no need to buy more," she said.

"The sooner we see buying patterns return to normal levels, as was the case throughout May and most of June, the quicker we'll be able to wind back limits."