Sex toy sales at record highs during lockdown
Sales of sex toys hit record highs as New Zealanders panic bought more than toilet paper in 2020.
Nicola Relph, owner of Wellington-based Adult Toy Megastore, said the business had never seen anything like last year’s sales.
While most purchases were made by first-time customers, the gender split was roughly 50/50, Relph said.
‘‘I’ve been in this business for more than a decade and I didn’t see it coming. Lockdowns definitely had people at home wanting to try new things – from baking bread to trying toys.’’
The pandemic had also struck at a time when conversation and discussion was more open and New Zealand was shaking off ‘‘Victorian-era attitudes’’ to sex and sexuality, Relph said.
Sales of sex toys via the site tripled in the 48 hours before New Zealand went into lockdown on March 25, with similar sales boosts coinciding with major Covid-19 announcements in Australia and Britain.
Purchases tripled in all three countries on March 11, the day the World Health Organisation declared the coronavirus outbreak a pandemic.
Sales for the site doubled in Britain on
March 21 when Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced bars would close and in Australia on March 22 when Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced the same.
Psychologist Dr Jessica Maxwell, from the University of Auckland, said the use of adult toys could be a way to find comfort in the face of the worldwide pandemic.
‘‘One motivation for having sex or using sexual toys is to relieve stress so it makes total sense that you see people wanting to use these during this time.’’
It was also possible some people were making the best of a bad situation by grasping the opportunity to try something new, she said.
‘‘A lot of couples are doing new hobbies like baking bread. Anything novel, whether in the bedroom or not, is good for your mental health.’’
However, she warned not everyone would be in the mood and that’s OK.
‘‘I would just say though stress and anxiety can be absolute killers to sex drive so it’s totally normal if you’re not interested.’’
Adult Toy Megastore was approved as an essential service by the Government providing condoms, medical items and – perhaps reflecting a wider trend towards disinfecting behaviour – sex toy cleaner.