Sales of olive oil and flour soar as we get busy in the kitchen

BOTTLES of olive oil are flying off supermarket shelves as we all spend more time at home and in the kitchen.

SuperValu has released a breakdown of the products and categories that have been selling strongly in its stores since the Covid-19 lockdown began, and it has reported an 80pc increase in olive oil sales.

Meanwhile, the need to clean up more often in the kitchen has seen a 60pc rise in sales of dishwasher tablets.

There has been renewed interest in baking and sales in this category have risen, most notably with flour products up 200pc. There has also been an uptake in demand for other related products such as toppings, raising agents, flavourings and food colourings.

With many cafés closed, consumers are still looking for their coffee fix and statistics from the retailer show a 100pc increase in coffee pod sales.

As families relax together, there has been a 60pc rise in sharing chocolate bar sales.

However, shoppers are also craving healthy food, and SuperValu’s statistics show that a banana is being sold every second across its stores.

The rush on bananas could alternatively be linked to the rise in people reportedly making banana bread.

Chef Donal Skehan told the Irish Independent last month his website had crashed three times since “we put the recipe for the banana bread up”.

Personal hygiene has been of paramount importance during the lockdown, with soap sales up 400pc. SuperValu has also sold enough toilet paper to go around the world eight times.

Sales of plants and flowers have risen also by 200pc, as people try to spruce up their gardens and homes.

Edel Russell, innovation and consumer director with the retailer, said the amount of online sales that had been generated during lockdown was equivalent to the volume of sales of 12 SuperValu stores.