Coronavirus fails to deter Easter egg sales

TOILET paper and pasta aren’t the only things people seem to have been panic buying lately.

IGA Loganholme and Boronia Heights owner Darrell Dhnaram.

TOILET paper and pasta aren’t the only things people seem to have been panic buying lately, with retailers reporting a surge in Easter egg sales.

Woolworths said it was clear shoppers would be celebrating despite world events.

“Easter eggs and bunnies sales are ahead on last year which is a really positive sign that Australian families are still looking to maintain Easter traditions in this new normal environment,” a spokesman said.

“From the kids doing their Easter egg hunt around the house, waking up to the smell of hot cross buns, to cooking up a feast for those in your household, these little traditions are important for us all to hold on to in this challenging time and we’re pleased to see our customers continuing to embrace these traditions.”

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They expect to sell 4 million Easter bunnies and 7 million eggs this week and say they have more than enough stock to go around.

FoodWorks Loganholme second manager Benita Anthony said sales were up nearly 10 per cent year on year.

“We have sold heaps of eggs in the past two weeks,” she said.

“People were initially panic buying and stockpiling but now I think people realise they will be stuck at home all weekend watching movies and will eat chocolate as a form of treat.”

“Because we have 24-hour trade, shoppers can check online to find out when the store is empty and can come in even on Easter Sunday to buy eggs.

“We have a huge supply which we expect to last until Sunday.”

FoodWorks Loganholme assistant store manager Benita Anthony shows off some of the egg supply.

or those who Easter egg bargain hunters who missed out or left their shopping to the last minute, IGA owner Darrell Dhnaram has the answer.

His stores at Loganholme and Boronia Heights will get a $3000 delivery of eggs and bunnies on Thursday, to tide buyers over the Easter period.

“We have had a marked rush on egg sales over the past three weeks - more than at the same time last year,” he said.

“I was not sure how we would be able to respond but have just received confirmation that Metcash will deliver about 1000 eggs and bunnies on Thursday - so we will have plenty over the weekend at both stores.”

More bargains were on offer at Logan Central’s Silly Solly’s bargain shop where an entire aisle is dedicated to the seasonal chocolate offering.

Not all chocolate sales were immune to coronavirus, with Beenleigh boutique chocolatier Poppy’s Chocolate’s experiencing slow sales last month.

Annalysse George at Poppy's Chocolates.

Store assistant Annalysse George said sales of hand-made and boutique eggs were starting to pick up, even though she did not expect this year’s sales figures to outstrip last year’s.

Supplies of gourmet chocolates from the popular outlet are being topped up from the group’s warehouse.

IGA Pullenvale owner/manager Mark Whitten said he was trying to source extra stock from other stores as he expected a rush in coming days.

Mr Whitten, who has been in the business for 44 years,said traditionally sales took off on the Thursday before Easter.

“I had to place my order six months ago but I know it won’t last,’’ he said.

“I think people might be buying more from my store because they’re staying away from the bigger supermarkets.

“Easter eggs really only sell in the last 72 hours before Easter so I’m expecting to need more.’

“I think also people realise they will have to spend Easter at home so they want to compensate and make it more special.’’

Kenmore Woolies said it had experienced “double digit’’ growth in sales compared with a normal season.

They had been able to secure a larger supply of stock however to cope with demand.

Sherwood Woolies said trade was “definitely very brisk compared to a normal Easter’’.

“It’s a bit up on what I can remember from last year,’’ a manager said.

Windsor Zone Fresh Gourmet Markets Grocery Manager Sandra Dezwart said news from the Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk saying the “Easter Bunny is allowed to come into Queensland” had been good news for egg sales.

“We were thinking it was going to be a quiet Easter but now that the Easter Bunny can visit we have seen people coming in to buy eggs,” Ms Dezwart said.

“Usually we have a lot of buying for teachers for Easter but that’s not happening but people are still buying,” she said.

“People are still buying for their loved ones.”

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Ms Dezwart said the store had plenty of stock and had put out new stock just today.

Super IGA at Bribie Island has plenty of Easter eggs, and had placed its order last year.

Drakes Supermarket at Caboolture reported the store had a lot of stock.

Bellmere Friendly Grocer reported it did not have a great deal of Easter eggs.

North Lakes supermarkets assured they currently have plenty Easter stock but warned this may change rapidly.

“The stock levels are okay at the moment but customers are buying earlier,” a Drakes North Lakes spokesman said.

Staff at Windsor Zone Fresh.

A spokesman for Fresh & Save Deagon said they still had a lot of variety but don’t expect to have much left over by the end of the week.

“There’s always a bit of a mad rush with people leaving it to the last minute,” he said.

“I’m pretty happy with where we are. Hot cross buns are also tracking well.”

But sales have been slow at Tom’s Confectionary Warehouse at Hendra, with a spokeswoman describing the situation as “a disaster”.

“They’re worse than last year, they are down completely compared to what it usually is,” she said.

“It’s like a nightmare. It should be teeming (with customers) at this time of year, but it’s not.”

Also, a lot of big orders by hospitality businesses had been cancelled because their events could not go ahead because of coronavirus restrictions, she said, but there had been more online orders so far this week.

Easter eggs were still plentiful on Brisbane’s bayside, with SUPA IGA Russell Island still with stacks to sell.

“We’ve still got plenty here,” said a store worker.

The woman said she thought people still hadn’t twigged that the annual holiday was so close.

Woolworths at Cleveland also had “quite a lot” yet to sell.

“Usually we would have sold out by now, but I think because everyone is staying in and not having Easter parties, they aren’t buying for the family.”

It was a similar story at Coles Victoria Point where there was plenty of the chocolate treat still in stock as well.

Big W Carindale reported there was plenty of stock on the shelves but online orders were up.

“With coronavirus it has been a bit slower (in store) but we do receive quite a lot of Easter eggs in our online orders so we are still selling more than we would have otherwise,” a staff member said.

At Woolworths Cannon Hill there was ample stock on the shelves.

“I would say it is the same for us as it has been previous years,” the store manager said. “We are anticipating it will be a normal Easter but obviously taking precautions of social distancing and limiting customers in store. We are a bit unsure of how it will trend.”

IGA Marketplace Greenslopes also had plenty of stock on the shelves.

“We can’t really determine how customers are going to shop,” staff said.