A Sydney mum has accused Priceline of price gouging after claiming a bottle of hand sanitiser was being sold for $25.

But the pharmacy chain says the bottle was a hospital-grade sanitiser that the franchisee had purchased in a bid to provide options to customers while usual products had run out.

Coronavirus panic has left shelves across the nation stripped of essentials.

Meagan Loader took to Twitter to slam the retail giant, saying it was taking advantage of those in need.

She says her four-year-old daughter, who is undergoing chemotherapy, has been left vulnerable by the lack of sanitiser available.

“Priceline are price gouging. Selling bottles of hand sanitiser for $25,” she wrote.

“I have a 4yr old in my family going through chemo for cancer. She has almost no immunity. I can’t get hand sanitiser anywhere.”

However, the pharmacy says the bottle was hospital grade and not a standard retail product.

“This particular hand sanitiser is hospital grade and not normally ranged in Priceline,” a Priceline spokesperson said.

“The store owner needed to source directly from the supplier and not through the Priceline Pharmacy supply chain.

The pharmacy says the sanitiser was hospital-grade and only sourced in an attempt to stock depleted shelves. Credit: Paul Miller / AAP

“The retail price charged is in line with a normal retail selling price given the specifics of this product and the sourcing cost of the product.

“The store has decided to now sell these items behind the counter and will also ensure each enquiry comes with a pharmacist consultation to ensure full clarity of purchase, including why this particular item is more expensive than normal sanitiser.”

‘Deeply unethical’

Consumer group CHOICE has hit out at those attempting to profiteer off the public health crisis, saying it is receiving “more and more” reports of gouging across the nation.

“While price gouging is not illegal it is deeply unethical,” managing editor Marg Rafferty told 7NEWS.com.au.

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“Price gouging takes advantage of people’s needs for essential goods in a crisis by unfairly increasing the prices.

Chevron Right Icon ‘While price gouging is not illegal it is deeply unethical.’

“We need all businesses to focus on how to help Australians at this time.”

The group urges anyone who believes they have seen poor behaviour to report it to CHOICE in a bid to protect vulnerable Australians.

Essentials limited

ALDI has become the latest supermarket to enforce restrictions on essential items that have been bought in bulk in recent weeks.

A restriction of one unit of toilet paper applies as well as a limit of two units for hand sanitiser, dried pasta, flour, rice, paper towels, and tissues.

Aldi staff hurl blocks of toilet paper into the air. Credit: 7NEWS

ALDI Australia CEO Tom Daunt also called on customers to help out, slamming the recent violent behaviour seen in some supermarkets in recent weeks.

“The increase in violence that retailers have seen over the past few weeks is absolutely unacceptable,” Daunt said.

“We would ask everyone to be considerate and compassionate in the way they shop.”

In the video below: Louis Vuitton releases hand sanitiser