Woolworths shoppers frustrated over nationwide shortage of popular produce – leaving shelves totally bare
A shortage of a staple vegetable at Woolworths supermarkets has been confirmed after eagle-eyed shoppers noticed it had gone missing from shelves.
Potatoes were discovered to be in short supply after an Aussie mum noticed bare shelves where they’d normally be displayed.
The Queensland woman shared a photo of the barren shelves to her popular Foodie Mumma Ren Facebook page, alongside a caption asking the supermarket giant: ‘Are you experiencing a Potato Shortage?’
‘I grabbed two packets of steam potatoes and left one!’ she added.
A Woolworths spokesperson confirmed to Daily Mail that there is indeed currently limited availability of potatoes – noting that past weather incidents impacted on crops, resulting in reduced stock levels.
‘We still have sufficient supply of potatoes for our customers, but drought conditions from late 2024 and frosts earlier this year have had some impacts on growing yields,’ the spokesperson explained.
They added that it was also ‘not unusual’ for potato supplies to have some ‘constraints at this time of the year as we hit seasonal transition windows’.
‘We expect things to return to normal in the coming weeks as we move to new season supply,’ they added.
An Aussie mum shared this picture to her Foodie Mumma Ren Facebook page revealing empty shelves where potatoes would normally be stocked
Both loose potatoes (left) and packs of potatoes (right) are currently in lower than usual supply in Woolworths stores
Despite the reduced potato availability, Daily Mail has confirmed that Woolworths does not currently have in place any plans to limit the amount of potatoes customers can purchase.
It’s been reported that both Woolworths along with fellow major supermarket Coles currently have signs displayed in the fruit and vegetable sections, cautioning customers of current low potato supplies.
However, it has been reported that the extent of the shortage isn’t as prominent as has been seen in Woolworths stores.
As mentioned by the spokesperson, potato supply traditionally undergoes a seasonal dip at this time of year, due to the timing of harvesting. Supplies at this time of year come from the end of the previous crop and the start of the new harvest.
Australian potatoes are mostly harvested in South Australia, with 80 per cent being grown and supplied from that state.
In the past 12 months, South Australia has experienced farming and crop difficulties because of record drought conditions.
However, recent extreme rain and cold conditions have also adversely impacted on this year’s potato supply, contributing to a decline in quality issues such as cold cracking, harvest damage and skin staining.
Earlier this year, Australian shoppers noticed egg shelves were bare as both Coles and Woolworths introduced purchase limits on the staple food item.
Back in January 2025, customers reported seeing empty egg shelves in supermarkets
Earlier in the year, both Coles and Woolworths online stores had almost no eggs available online
Back in January 2025, customers reported empty shelves and were struggling to find eggs for weeks, save for a few sporadic occasions where some cartons appeared.
Egg Farmers Australia, which is the peak organisation that represents the industry, confirmed at the time that there was a shortage.
CEO Melinda Hashimoto explained that there were three major factors at play: Avian Influenza outbreaks on some sites in Victoria, NSW and the ACT, compounded by an unusually high seasonal demand for eggs during the 2024 summer season and then major upheaval happening in the egg industry as farms shift away from caged production.
After experiencing limited supply, egg supplies have resumed mostly as normal. Daily Mail has learned that purchase limits were removed from major supermarkets several months ago.
