Virus-driven Oz buying brings record retail sales in March

Australians who purchased toilet paper, rice or pasta last month in panic over the coronavirus, contributed to the biggest monthly rise in retail sales on the Australian Bureau of Statistics' records.

Preliminary figures show retail turnover surged 8.2 percent in March, seasonally-adjusted, ABC News  reoports. The ABS said that is the strongest rise since it began tracking retail trade, surpassing an 8.1 percent increase in June 2000, when households brought forward spending ahead of the GST being introduced.

Food retailing drove the rise last month, with strong sales across supermarkets, liquor stores and other specialty food retailers, leading to what the ABS called "unprecedented demand."

"Sales were also strong in retail industries selling items related to home offices," it said.

The ABS also recorded strong sales growth in the hardware sector.

Supermarket and grocery store turnover grew by 22.4 percent, peaking in mid-March.

Analysis of supermarket scanner data revealed monthly turnover on toilet paper, rice, pasta and flour doubled, while spending on canned food, medicinal products and cleaning products increased by more than 50 percent.