Woolworths chief executive Brad Banducci says a slowdown in sales at its supermarkets in NSW in October stemmed from more people going out and bypassing dinner at home as the economy opens up, but he expects the work-from-home shift to be a buffer against a significant drop around Australia.

Mr Banducci said the main categories experiencing the slowdown are grocery items used for the evening meal in households which have spent 106 days in lockdown in Sydney.