SAN ANTONIO – Concurrent with the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak in this US, grocery sales are on the rise. For the week ending on March 8, IRi and 210Analytics observed that sales among fresh perimeter departments were up 3.4% with sales for the perimeter plus the entire store up 10.6%.  

Total sales in the fresh perimeter for that week was $3.6 billion, with sales for the entire store totaling $17.6 billion. 

The produce department experienced the biggest gain in the fresh perimeter, up 3.1% with fruit up 1.4% and vegetables up 4.7%. Meat sales rose 1.7%, but seafood fell 4.3%. Outside of the fresh perimeter, beverages saw a 17.7% increase, paper goods jumped up 59.4% and household cleaning supplies sky-rocked with a 65.4% increase in sales. 

IRi and 210Analytics anticipate the sales for the week ending on March 15 will be much higher after an increase in coronavirus (COVID-19) related public measures including school closures, social distancing and restaurant closing. The researchers plan to provide update reports on March 24.