This is what Aussies look like, according to our shopping habits
Whatever the online shopping version of this photo is, Australians have been doing it. And this is what we're buying. Photo: Getty
Australians will emerge from the cocoon of isolation as fresh-faced, bread-baking butterflies, according to our spending habits.
As key retailers begin to turn in their sales reports, we’re getting a picture of how Australians are spending their money during lockdown – and it’s kind of pretty.
This is basically what Australians look like at the moment, give or take. Photo: TND/Ema Osavkov
Skincare product sales are soaring.
Myer reported a 600 per cent year-on-year increase in this area.
Of course, it’s difficult to tell at this stage if Australians are buying more skincare overall, or if it’s the same amount of sales just targeted to one seller, reflective of Myer’s brand power and recognition.
In particular, we’re buying face masks (not the healthy kind) at an increase of some 60 per cent, according to Adore Beauty.
With beauty salons and hairdressers closed, it makes sense we’re trying to do our ‘dos at home: Coles similarly reported a surge in sales of at-home hair colour.
- Related: Home-grooming guide for isolation
Figures released earlier in April showed the economic lipstick effect is once again coming into play. Just not with lipsticks.
Adore posted a 60 per cent spike in personal care products – but a 24 per cent drop in lipstick.
Instead we’re turning to other low-cost comfort items to keep us feeling warm and fuzzy, in a materialistic way.
The lipstick of the coronavirus period appears to be slippers, and comfortable clothing in general: The Iconic has reported a 800 per cent surge in slipper sales in the past fortnight alone, while Country Road, according to Nine Media, posted a surge in demand for what we’ll call lounge wear (trackies, sweat pants, knitwear).
Also, scented candles. Their sales are up 181 per cent.
DIY chefs aplenty
We’ve lost the ability to go out for dinner, and we’ve got plenty of time on our hands.
So of course we’re all returning to our roots and trying our hand in the kitchen.
One of the biggest trends has been bread baking. Particularly sourdough – just look at your Instagram feed.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B-7ElE_JyCZ/
It was the start of April when searches for home-baking started to spike – carrot cake and banana bread kicked it off, followed by sourdough starter searches.
(Banana bread is still going strong – there’s even a banana bread baking contest going on.)
lots of grim stuff out there but there's never been a better time to be a black banana in a freezer. black bananas in freezers are actually going to get USED in BAKING this month instead of thrown out in a year and it's their TIME to SHINE
— Caitlin Welsh (@Caitlin_Welsh) March 17, 2020
Supermarkets pretty early on had to put a limit on how much flour and sugar customers could buy, to ensure everyone could partake in the joys of home cooking.
In buying power, our cooking obsession looks a little something like this: A 170 per cent increase in cooking appliances (Myer), an 88 per cent rise (get it?) for bread mix at Woolworths, and a 70 per cent boost for sales of dried herbs and spices, also at Woolies.
But we’re also fancying ourselves as sommeliers: Booze sales are up a worryingly whopping percentile.
In one week in March, our liquor store spending was up 87 per cent.
Working from home means we’re focusing on business on the the top, comfort on the bottom. Photo: Ema Osavkov/TND
Staving off boredom
As well as inducting Zoom into our vocabularies, we’re getting old school with our activities.
Puzzles have not seen such popularity, spurred on by Prime Minister Scott Morrison declaring them an essential service.
@ScottMorrisonMP I finished a puzzle and had some perfect timing. #Australia #scomo #scottmorrison #puzzle pic.twitter.com/SwbmAEVA8g
— Mia ♡ (@MiaLaraLayne) April 14, 2020
They were already flying off shelves before that touch of marketing genius. Now they’re as prized as toilet paper.
There’s no doubt a lot of parents swearing across the country has risen, as more and more Lego pieces end up on living room floors, ready to be trod on.
Kicked along by the Lego Masters telly show, sales of the building toy have spiked as much as 92 per cent week on week.
-with AAP
