The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) has released details of what Australians panic bought as the coronavirus pandemic took hold.
And toilet paper wasn't the top item.
The March retail sales report showed spending across Australia jumped by a record 8.5 per cent as consumers stockpiled food, home and office supplies in anticipation of coronavirus lockdown measures.
The sale of all non-perishable goods was up by 39 per cent, while perishable goods were up by 22 per cent.
Empty supermarket shelves in March. Source: AAP
Overall, the sale of canned and dried soup mix was the highest increasing item from February to March with sales skyrocketing 180 per cent.
Flour was in second place at a 150 per cent increase, followed by toilet paper which saw a sales increase of 110 per cent.
Pasta, noodles and canned vegetables followed after that.
And sales of liquor shot up 30 per cent.
Many shopping centres around Australia introduced buying limits in March as shoppers panic bought large quantities of various items.
The fight for toilet paper even got ugly with customers in some stores breaking out into well-publicised physical confrontations and fights.
Griffith University Department of Marketing lecturer Dr Charles Jebarajakirthy said he was surprised food sales had gone up so much during a financially difficult time for many Australians.
"Everyone has lost jobs, you think they would be cutting down their budgets," he said.
"The large supermarkets are doing well, but lots of other retailers are suffering."
Additional reporting: AAP
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