It sure looks like people are stocking up on groceries due to the Coronavirus situation. It certainly shows in the data that our panel members have been sending us.
Overall, according to Nielsen, for the two weeks ended March 21, 2020, total sales of U.S. consumer packaged goods – which are UPC barcoded products our panel members scan – have increased $8.5 billion from the prior two weeks. Just to put that in perspective, that’s 15 times the average rate of change for a typical two-week period!
In addition, our shopping behavior has changed in just a short period of time, as people are shopping more online to avoid crowds and the potential of getting infected. According to Nielsen, in the two weeks ended March 21, upwards of 35% more people had shopped online for CPG items compared with a typical week. And that will continue to grow over the next few weeks.
Scan All Your Purchases!
As we’ve said previously, it is important that panel members continue to record all their purchases, especially anything bought online. In these tough times, manufacturers and retailers really want to know what their customers are buying.
So, what exactly are we buying more of these days? Well, things you might expect. Take a look at these sales figures from Nielsen. The following chart shows the percentage that U.S. dollar sales increased for the comparable weeks in 2019 and 2020.
| Products | Week ending March 14 | Week ending March 21 |
|---|---|---|
| Aerosol disinfectants | +518.9% | +264.1% |
| Hand sanitizer | +207.5% | +192.8% |
| Cold and flu remedies | +158.8% | +192.2% |
| Multipurpose cleaners | +242.9% | +182% |
| Antiseptic products | +196.4% | +172.9% |
| Paper towels | +154.4% | +127.4% |
| Toilet paper | +212.7% | +123.5% |
| Total beans | +133.5% | +237.2% |
| Soup | +126.6% | +237.1% |
| Rice | +166.1% | +234.1% |
| Pasta | +136.3% | +227.8% |
| Canned meat | +187.8% | +282% |
| Canned seafood | +139.4% | +233.4% |
| Eggs | +44% | +85.7% |
| Water | +99.4% | +78.5% |
| Cat litter | +37% | +60.3% |
| Dog food | +37.5% | +54.7% |
| Cat food | +38.7% | +52.8% |
Let us know how you’re doing or what you’ve been stocking up on by leaving a comment.
Note: If you’re not able to shop for the time being,NCP isproviding all our panel members with a specially coded UPC barcode (see link below). During weeks when you are unable to make any purchases, you can scan the barcode to let us know.
Not only will this save you the time of reaching out to our Panel Support Center, but it’ll keep your panel membership active and you’ll continue to be eligible for our NCP sweepstakes.
Click here to view/download the barcode along with additional instructions.
As always, please be safe and keep your distance!
Best Regards,
Taylor
We have always had at least a month supplies of napkins paper towels and toilet paper on hand, we did not feel it was right to go out and hoard these items due to having what we already have, it is a shame that when Target put toilet paper on the shelf people were buying cart-fulls of the toilet paper, shame on them.
We are strong in this day and age and will get through this trying time.
Stay healthy everyone.
I was laid off on March 13th, and there isn’t much money coming in to stock up on anything. Not much is available due to the panic buying. Thank goodness I have been growing my own veggies, and canning. No TP since the layoff. I made it through till Tuesday. Now I am making my own!
I’m doing tons of volunteering!! Our industry was hit hard, so going back to work is very unlikely anytime soon. So, I am translating, helping sight-impaired people with reading, sewing masks, and writing text for fundraisers and their websites.
Not bad for being in the vulnerable bracket, with a broken back to boot!
I’ve not stocked up on anything. I already had gloves, masks, cleaning supplies, toilet paper, paper towels. I buy mostly fruit and vegetables and some protein.
They’re probably buying food coloring for dying Easter eggs.
I am a couponer so I have a stockpile of toiletries, TP, PT, and laundry essentials. All I have needed to get was items like water, eggs, etc. My husband used to complain about my stockpile but not anymore!
I have not been stocking up as I can tomatoes and jams. I usually buy in bulk so I usually have a lot of basic items on hand. My local grocery did away with the “scoop” bulk bins with the “pull down” bulk bins still available. Costco is out of white vinegar so next time I may have to buy at a grocery store or venture to Smart & Final. I buy my flour in bulk from a milking company. I was running out and made a trip there to pick up 50 pounds of all purpose with 20 pounds of specialty flour. This should last 6 months. My daughter is is culinary school and I have a house full of bakers!
With a 20 year old grandson living with us and going to work everyday, (as he’s one of the essential employees) we’ve tried mostly to stock up on his lunch items that will keep and the snacks and frozen foods like pizzas, pizza rolls and things he likes since he’s a picky eater at times. We also started stocking just a little at a time over several weeks as soon as we heard the virus had hit the US. We’re older retirees and know what it’s like to be without from childhood when there were hard times or with a snowstorm around here so we had a feeling we’d better stock up. If it wasn’t necessary and we guessed wrong we just wouldn’t have to shop for awhile. Never were able to get hand sanitizer or Lysol, none today at Walmart check again next week as we still have a little left.
I haven’t found toilet paper for over a week! I usually buy a multi-pack and get another one when I have a few rolls remaining, I guess I just have bad timing ☹️ When we’re supposed to be at staying at home, I’m driving all over the place and going into multiple stores looking for toilet paper! ?
I haven’t been out of the house in 3 weeks. I bought a few things the week ending March 14. Haven’t been able to stock up due to money and ordering online most things are out of stock I may need. I’m a high risk with underlying conditions, so I’m not going out of the house. I’ll run out of food before too long.
Alcohol…lots and lots
We live about 27 miles from grocer & Walmart so we don’t normally shop every week anyway. When the news hit 2 weeks ago there was very little paper goods or health related items in the stores. Today it is pretty much back to normal. We only go to Sam’s or Costco every 3 or 4 months because they are 80+ miles away, but that’s where I generally buy my paper goods and cleaners so we were well stocked from the last trip up there. Yay!
My shopping has increased because I now also shop for my sister and her 6 year old great granddaughter. We live near each other and since she has diabetes and other medical issues, I’m the designated shopper. She’s also a massage therapist, a non-essential worker, while I have income due to being in agriculture.
I went to Walmart last night and was surprised they were out of the 3 things I needed…watch battery, florescent bulb and led bulb for range hood. I went on Amazon to order them and there is a 3 week wait for each item instead of the normal 2-3 days. They had a message they are prioritizing orders so essentials are processed first.
I grew up in Indiana and so many times the weather person projected 1-2″ inches of snow and we would end up with 6-7″. Since we lived out of town, my Mom always stocked up when things were on sale and also froze and canned veggies in case we had a large snow fall. Thankfully, I learned this from her and had already stocked up.
I’ve always been a sale shopper so the mad dash to by household products wasn’t needed. But I do wish people would be considered to people on fixed income, its enough to go around. Please think of those folks.
I have been out shopping. Bread is very hard to find. Cannot find any Lysol yet. Will keep looking. Jneatty
We have been stocking up on frozen fruits and canned Italian tomatoes to make spaghetti sauce. Also pasta and fresh vegetables
Crystal manlet is my name and I want to know how do I get the machine to scan barcodes? I am a member and not having a scanner is discouraging me from wanting to be a member and participate
Hi, Our Panel Support Center will be reaching out to you. If you don’t hear from them within a few days, please contact them at [email protected].
Thanks!
We have not stocked up- we shop at BJ’s every few months for our paper products and some other items. We did not make an extra trip. We have not gone to the grocery store since March 16. .. our son insists on going to get what we need so we won’t be exposed to others. We are using what we have in the freezer and pantry cupboard. . I am scanning the products he shops for us. There was NO bread, NO butter and NO Gold Medal flour last week in our town.. He went to check on in-laws and found those items at their grocery store.
I am fed up with the inconsiderate, selfish, panic hoarding fools taking more than their share and not even caring about others who may need items for their families!!
I am trying not to stock up. I have not bought more of any products. I shop for the week as usual. I am using curbside pick up or early senior shopping when I can.
Before this pandemic broke, I was an extreme couponer & really stocked up on paper products. I had always liked to have plenty in my home stock. Of course, now I’m glad I did. Once this pandemic is over I plan to go back to my old ways. Getting items you need when there’s a great sale feels really good!
I shop for the whole month, that’s when I get my SS check, I had trouble finding toilet paper so Instant of buying just one,If I can find it I buy two just in case I’m no able to find it ,and tissues too , I have allergies so need to be prepared . BE CAREFUL OUT THERE AND BE KIND..
Buying what I need for the week and adding more canned goods with longer expiration dates like soups and tuna.
I shop coupons and sales all the time and have a moderate stockpile of most things non perishable. Able to give and donate by shopping this way and save a lot of money.
I’ve stocked up on food, and a lot of alcohol , hand sanitizer n clorax wipes
Diapers, baby wipes, rice and thankfully I had already a pack of TP from Costco in hand before this pandemic
Stocked up on diapers and baby wipes! Rice was out at Costco so I had to stock up from Walmart.com. Thankfully before this fiasco started I bought 1 pack of Costco TP. So I didn’t have to panic buy that or go hunting for it.
Communicating more with family.
I’ve been communicating more with my family and praying more.
Stocking up on prescriptions, yogurt, soups and salads.
Completing my Publishers Clearing House entries.
I’ve personally been stocking up on things like vinegar, soda,essentials oil, bacteria soap,hand sanitizer, paper towels, the vinegar and paper towels and essentials oil to make my own diy disinfectant wipes, can’t stock up on meats because store have limit to two pack for customer, and that small packs went they have any in,but now here some weird thing people I’ve noticed stocking up on is food coloring, and deodorant ,even baby shampoo can’t hardly find
I really haven’t stocked up on anything and not planning to do so, since I always keep enough in my house even before the COVID-19. I did for a couple weeks but extra food, but it was for preparing meals for a friend of mine who had major surgery and was bedridden for 3 weeks. I wind up cooking for her and her family at my house and bringing the food that was prepared by me to her house until she got well enough to cook for herself again. The only time I stock up on anything, is during the warmer months here in Texas when I need more bottled water, so I don’t have to make to many trips to the store; I live about 15 miles from a grocery store. Unfortunately I can’t drink our water from the water company as it makes me very sick every time I’ve tried it due to the amount of additives they have to put in the water to make it safe for drinking which we’ve been told isn’t recommended for infants, the elderly or people with compromised immune systems due to health problems. I’ve tried filters, but nothing can get me to drink the water without getting sick from it; my cat won’t drink it either.
The stores do not have the products we need in stock up .the products are not in so we can buy them. Everything is very limited on what we can buy.
Thank God, I bought all my food two days before all this panic buying started happening. I haven’t been out of the house for one month now. I do need some things from the store, but I can do without them. I’m not going to risk getting the coronavirus for a few items at the grocery store. I hear that the shelves are being emptied out by all the people stocking up on things they couldn’t possibly use up in a lifetime, and leaving nothing for anyone else. I do some shopping online, but not groceries, all the warehouses are sold out as well. I hope these bing shoppers are happy with themselves, because they are not leaving anything for anyone else.
I’ve actually been shopping less. I’ve got 2 1/2 freezers with food to use and quite a pantry in my garage. I’m staying put and staying safe
Have stocked up on dog food, cat food, toilet paper, paper towels, OTC meds
The only thing I actually purposefully went out and stocked up on is my favorite wine!
bought usual amount of paper towels and toilet paper only because house was down to last unit or less. had to go to several stores to find each.
I have shopped but was too sick to scan my purchase is it still too late to scan them. I have a 3 week of purchase s I made it my family.
I have always kept my house stocked up, so I am not doing anything different. I can’t understand what is going on with people today
…As a Medically Disabled person since being struck down by Shingles outbreak on my face in April 1997, and learning I also had H.I.V. while in the Hospital, I have been stuck living on SSDI ( Disability Income ) since as well.
…That being said, I have always watched for EXCELLENT SALES at grocery and drug stores, etc. I that vain, late last year and earlier this year, there were GREAT SALES on Campbell’s soups, breakfast/snack items and others. So I had already heavily stocked up, before the Spectre of CoVid-19 became so severe.
…I learned long ago to be prepared for possible interruption of our national supply lines, as we’ve had Gasoline, Medicine and Food shortages since my birth.
A lot of us with digital APP & online shopping capability are now buying items for elderly and compromised friends & relatives that should remain home; and delivering to
Their doorsteps without going inside their homes. My parents, in-laws & more that I shop for just reimburse me with a check. They’re old school financial beings with limited technology.
I also use the Curbside Pickup APP so that I too do not have to enter a store as I also have a compromising illness.
I scan & clean ALL items, re-bag in older virus free bags & deliver. Or, I’ve had things delivered directly to
Their homes (which I don’t have the opportunity to go scan.)
It’s impossible to place separate pick up orders. So when I use an APP for curbside Pickup, it’s just everyone’s items in one order & hope that items are In Stock when I go to Pickup.
Because of Stocking Issues, I’m having to place more frequent Pickup orders until I finally acquire all the items we need.
I used to shop Sams Club in store & online once a month; and Walmart in store & online once a month.
Now because of having to avoid walking into a store, I’m forced to make multiple orders because of items being out of stock. If I can’t do drive thru or curbside Pickup, I simply can’t do it at all. Delivery not available in my area.
I stocked up on paper products, cleaners and shelf stable groceries. I’m glad I did because I just became self quarantined for two weeks.
Tp . and items to make from recipes and water.
I wish i can stock on this but i don’t have that much money each month.
This is where buying sale items with coupons come into play. I am an avid coupon shopper. Like my mother, I’ve learned that sales rotate about every 2 weeks on certain products. For example General Mills cereals will be on sale this week with Buy 1 Get 1 Free or 2 for $5. Next week Kellogg’s cereals will have the same sale running on those products. Add manufacture coupons with that sale and you end up paying little or nothing for the product. Hope this helps.
Stock up on paper products, coffee and disinfectant but shop less often. Have only noticed price increase on coffee.