These are the most popular foods Kiwis have been buying during the Covid lockdown

Kiwis have gone bananas - for bananas - in the first few days of lockdown shopping at supermarkets.

And if you piled on some extra pounds during previous lockdowns, healthier options are also going into trolleys, with people perhaps recalling the expansion of waistlines.

Across the country the biggest selling item at two of the major supermarkets has been bananas, followed closely by broccoli, avocados and milk.

Supermarket sources say it had long been rumoured that Kiwis consume more bananas per person than almost any other country.

And the lockdown shopping trend seems to back that up.

Foodstuffs spokeswoman Antoinette Laird said shoppers were picking up similar items in the North and South Islands as they navigated the second national level 4 lockdown.

"Across our New World and Pak'nSave stores in the North and South Island, we have seen a continuation of shopping trends from the night before lockdown where shoppers were keen to buy everyday grocery items," Laird said. 

"Our ongoing love affair with the banana has continued as it took out the number one spot across both the North and South Islands.

"Unsurprisingly, with more than a million millennials nationwide, avocados graced the top five for both islands, coming in second and fifth respectively."

Laird said as Kiwis hunkered down at home Foodstuffs stores had seen "popular winter produce charge up the list".

"Our shopping baskets yesterday included root vegetables such as carrots, potatoes, and orange kumara and the humble onion is up there as cooks tackle dinner at home in the absence of restaurants and takeaways.

"Memories of previous lockdowns, and the extra kilos a few of us came out with, may still be on people's minds because it seems New Zealanders are embracing leaner meat options with chicken in its various forms featuring in the Top 20."

Laird said there was one surprise item on the list.

"Last but certainly not least the humble crumpet of all things is in the top 20 suggesting families are throwing in a little breakfast treat – or maybe simply an anytime treat," said revealed.

"And frankly, who doesn't love a crumpet in all its dripping butter glory?"

She said customer demand was still higher than normal.

"It's great to see the most popular items purchased on Wednesday are the usual household goods we'd expect to see throughout the year," Laird said.

"We want to thank our shoppers for continuing to shop normal, sending only one shopper per household, using the QR codes and wearing a face covering while shopping.

"On behalf of our teams on the shop floor tēnā koutou and kia kaha Aotearoa."

Top 20 products - North Island - New World, Pak'nSave

  1. Bananas
  2. Avocado
  3. Paper checkout bag
  4. Broccoli
  5. Value 2L milk
  6. Skinless chicken breast
  7. Carrots
  8. Chicken drumsticks
  9. Brown onions
  10. Online bag fee
  11. Butter
  12. Value white toast bread
  13. Pam's butter
  14. Value 3L milk
  15. Capsicum
  16. Value white toast bread
  17. Crumpets
  18. Potatoes
  19. Value 2L lite milk
  20. Cucumber

Top 20 products - South Island - New World, Pak'nSave

  1. Bananas
  2. Broccoli
  3. Brown paper bags
  4. Value 2L milk
  5. Avocado
  6. Mandarins
  7. Pam's butter
  8. Pam's baby spinach
  9. Multigrain toast bread
  10. New World grocery shopping bag
  11. Onions
  12. Carrots
  13. Crumpets
  14. Oranges
  15. White toast bread
  16. Chicken breast fillets
  17. Beef mince
  18. Orange kumara
  19. Butchery packs
  20. Butter 500g

This article was first published by the NZ Herald and is republished here with permission.

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