Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says supermarkets will be closed as usual on Good Friday but will be open on Easter Sunday.
A worried mother in Australia has shared a heartbreaking photo of her teenage daughter after finishing a shift at Woolworths.
Debara Nydrle, from Townsville in Queensland, shared a snap of her 18-year-old daughter Jordyn collapsing on the couch in floods of tears while still in her green Woolworths' uniform.
Her face is flushed from the distress and tears are visible on her face and lip.
"Thank you to all the Freaking A' holes who thinks it's OK to abuse your Woolies staff to the point you break them... daily... multiple times a day... abusing them for things that they do not control... How freaking Un Australian," she said in the post shared Monday.
The gut-wrenching photo has since been shared more than 3500 times and received a stream of comments from equally frustrated friends.
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"Hope you're okay gorgeous. People suck and you don't deserve this," one said.
"Sometimes people are beyond rude, you're one essential worker that is needed," another wrote.
While another said: "This is not right at all, sorry Jordyn. My daughter works in Townsville in a pharmacy and is abused daily for trying to do her job." The comment was also accompanied by three angry red face emojis.
This heartbreaking photo shows the brutal reality of working in a supermarket during the coronavirus crisis. Photo / Debara Nydrle Facebook
"That's disgusting some people are so ignorant and rude. Beautiful girl keep going," another offered.
In recent weeks supermarkets across Australia have been stripped bare, sparking scenes of chaos between exhausted workers and panicked shoppers.
Footage of a stoush over toilet paper between a Coles employee and a customer emerged earlier this month, leaving many outraged.
In the video, which was shared on the Coles Facebook page by an onlooker, a female staff member reaches breaking point when she's accosted by a customer demanding to be sold more toilet paper.
The man ignored requests to leave the store and continued to ask who the staff member was giving the large packs of toilet paper to. Photos / Facebook
Eventually, the Coles employee asks the man to leave and in response he threatened to "smash your face".
"Get out! Get out, you piece of sh*t!" the staff member screams, before the man is escorted away by a security guard.
The employee returns to handing out the toilet paper, telling the next customer: "Sorry, I've lost my temper."
Supermarkets have since adopted a "zero tolerance" for bad behaviour towards their staff, with signs appearing in Woolworths, Coles, IGA and Aldi, warning shoppers to be respectful.
"Aggressive and abusive behaviour will not be tolerated," a sign shared in a Woolworths store reads. "Our team is here to help, not to be hurt."
In a statement earlier this month on the issue, Woolworths said the supermarket was "grateful" for its employees' work "during these busy and challenging times".
"The vast majority of customers have been respectful and understanding in our stores, and we appreciate their patience," a spokesperson said.
"The safety of our team members is our top priority and we will not tolerate abusive or violent behaviour towards them in any circumstance."
