Credit card spending in grocery stores and supermarkets over the past week is up 74% from this time last year as customers rush to stock up on food and toilet paper as we progressively become more and more confined to our homes.

Food spending over the past week is up 49.7% on the same week a year ago, while spending on alcohol has risen 20.4%, likely due to fears that people would be stuck in their homes without booze (don't worry: Liquor stores are deemed essential services and will remain open!). 

"The incredible lift in expenditure in particular at supermarkets and grocery stores may be sufficient in size to see total household consumption in positive territory in the March quarter," Commonwealth Bank Senior Economist Gareth Aird said.

However, spending in restaurants and cafes has fallen 1.3% after averaging around 20% annual growth last year.

Such spending could be set to plummet much more than this once the recent enforced closures of such venues are reflected in the figures. 

Other significant spending trends were: 

  • A 16.4% fall in recreation spending thanks to restrictions on gatherings (likely to fall further due to closures of things like cinemas)
  • A 7.1% fall in transport spending (due to more people working from home and isolating themselves) 
  • A 25% increase in health services spending, as people flock to pharmacies and doctors' offices 

Looking for somewhere to store your cash? The table below displays a snapshot of one-year term deposits with some of the highest interest rates on the market. 

Provider

At Maturity, Annually$product[$field["value"]]$product[$field["value"]]$product[$field["value"]]5000$product[$field["value"]]$product[$field["value"]]More details
  • Guaranteed rate of return
  • Manage your term deposit online
  • Choose your own term - Options range from one month to five years

Term Deposit - 11 months

  • Guaranteed rate of return
  • Manage your term deposit online
  • Choose your own term - Options range from one month to five years
At Maturity, Monthly$product[$field["value"]]$product[$field["value"]]$product[$field["value"]]2500031$product[$field["value"]]$product[$field["value"]]More details

Term Deposit - 12 months

    At Maturity$product[$field["value"]]$product[$field["value"]]$product[$field["value"]]500007$product[$field["value"]]$product[$field["value"]]More details

    Wealth Builder Term Deposit - 12 months ($50,000+)

      At Maturity, Annually$product[$field["value"]]$product[$field["value"]]$product[$field["value"]]2500031$product[$field["value"]]$product[$field["value"]]More details

      Term Deposit ($25k-$5m) - 12 months

        At Maturity$product[$field["value"]]$product[$field["value"]]$product[$field["value"]]10008$product[$field["value"]]$product[$field["value"]]More details

        Online Term Deposit - 12 months

          Annually, At Maturity$product[$field["value"]]$product[$field["value"]]$product[$field["value"]]100031$product[$field["value"]]$product[$field["value"]]More details

          Term Deposit ($1000-$500001) - 12 months

            Annually, At Maturity$product[$field["value"]]$product[$field["value"]]$product[$field["value"]]100031$product[$field["value"]]$product[$field["value"]]More details

            Term Deposit - 12 months

              At Maturity$product[$field["value"]]$product[$field["value"]]$product[$field["value"]]500031$product[$field["value"]]$product[$field["value"]]More details

              Term Deposit ($5k-$500k) - 12 months

                At Maturity, Annually$product[$field["value"]]$product[$field["value"]]$product[$field["value"]]500031$product[$field["value"]]$product[$field["value"]]More details

                Term Deposit ($5k-$25k) - 12 months

                  At Maturity$product[$field["value"]]$product[$field["value"]]$product[$field["value"]]50001$product[$field["value"]]$product[$field["value"]]More details

                  Fixed Term Deposit - 12 Months ($500+)

                    Annually$product[$field["value"]]$product[$field["value"]]$product[$field["value"]]5000$product[$field["value"]]$product[$field["value"]]More details
                    A GREAT RATE FOR OVER 55s
                    • If you are over 55 you can take advantage of special rates
                    • $0 monthly account fee
                    • Guaranteed rate of return
                    A GREAT RATE FOR OVER 55s

                    Term Deposit (Platinum Plus 55+) - 12 months

                    • If you are over 55 you can take advantage of special rates
                    • $0 monthly account fee
                    • Guaranteed rate of return
                    At Maturity, Annually$product[$field["value"]]$product[$field["value"]]$product[$field["value"]]5000$product[$field["value"]]$product[$field["value"]]More details
                    • Guaranteed rate of return
                    • Manage your term deposit online
                    • $0 monthly account fee

                    Term Deposit - 12 months

                    • Guaranteed rate of return
                    • Manage your term deposit online
                    • $0 monthly account fee
                    At Maturity, Monthly$product[$field["value"]]$product[$field["value"]]$product[$field["value"]]2500031$product[$field["value"]]$product[$field["value"]]More details

                    Term Deposit - 12 months (Monthly)

                      Annually, At Maturity, Monthly$product[$field["value"]]$product[$field["value"]]$product[$field["value"]]1000031$product[$field["value"]]$product[$field["value"]]More details

                      Term Deposit ($10000+) - 12 months

                        Annually, At Maturity$product[$field["value"]]$product[$field["value"]]$product[$field["value"]]100031$product[$field["value"]]$product[$field["value"]]More details

                        Term Deposit ($1000+) - 12 months

                          At Maturity, Annually$product[$field["value"]]$product[$field["value"]]$product[$field["value"]]500000$product[$field["value"]]$product[$field["value"]]More details

                          Fixed Term Deposit ($500000+) - 12 months

                            Annually, At Maturity, Monthly$product[$field["value"]]$product[$field["value"]]$product[$field["value"]]500031$product[$field["value"]]$product[$field["value"]]More details

                            Term Deposit ($5000+) - 12 month

                              At Maturity$product[$field["value"]]$product[$field["value"]]$product[$field["value"]]2000$product[$field["value"]]$product[$field["value"]]More details

                              Term Deposit Special - 12 months

                                Annually, At Maturity$product[$field["value"]]$product[$field["value"]]$product[$field["value"]]100000031$product[$field["value"]]$product[$field["value"]]More details

                                Term Deposit ($1,000,000-$2,000,000) - 12 months

                                  Annually, At Maturity$product[$field["value"]]$product[$field["value"]]$product[$field["value"]]10000031$product[$field["value"]]$product[$field["value"]]More details

                                  Term Deposit ($100000+) - 12 months

                                    Important Information and Comparison Rate Warning

                                    All products with a link to a product provider’s website have a commercial marketing relationship between us and these providers. These products may appear prominently and first within the search tables regardless of their attributes and may include products marked as promoted, featured or sponsored. The link to a product provider’s website will allow you to get more information or apply for the product. By de-selecting “Show online partners only” additional non-commercialised products may be displayed and re-sorted at the top of the table. For more information on how we’ve selected these “Sponsored”, “Featured” and “Promoted” products, the products we compare, how we make money, and other important information about our service, please click here. Rates correct as of August 21, 2024. View disclaimer.

                                    Important Information and Comparison Rate Warning

                                    Despite the massive surges in some areas of the economy, Mr Aird cautioned that much of this spending is simply due to stockpiling, and positive impacts on the GDP would be negated by falls in business inventories. 

                                    Read: CBA considering cutting credit card rates

                                    ANZ reported supermarket spend is up 40% on the same week ended March 16 last year. 

                                    ANZ economist Adelaide Timbrell noted that there was also a 35% lift in retail food spending, as well as:

                                    • A 60% jump in pharmacy and toiletry spend 
                                    • A 22% rise in electronic purchases (who wants to be bored stuck at home?) 

                                    “We expect household consumption to decline sharply now that tighter social distancing regulation is in place. The moves to close non-essential services could severely reduce household spending,” Ms Timbrell said.

                                    “An increase in online shopping could soften the blow, but is unlikely to offset the effects of layoffs, reduced income or low confidence in many households.”

                                    ANZ's report also found the panic buying trend should ease in the coming months as people get used to "the new normal"of social distancing. 

                                    Unemployment to hit 11% by June 

                                    A third big bank, Westpac, predicted the rate of unemployment will hit 11% by June, a revised prediction from 7% last week. 

                                    This would mean more than 800,000 job losses at a conservative estimate, and economic growth is expected to contract by 3.5% in the June quarter.

                                    "Last week we forecast a peak in the unemployment rate of 7%," said Westpac chief economist Bill Evans.

                                    "Since then we have seen the rollout of more extensive shutdowns than we had originally envisaged. Economic disruptions are set to be larger as the government moves to address the enormous health challenge which the nation now faces."

                                    The ANZ-Roy Morgan Australian Consumer Confidence Index also plunged to a 30-year low, falling by 27.8% in the last week to 72.2.

                                    This is just above the all-time lows recorded in 1990, and 17% below the lowest point seen during the GFC. 

                                    "The increasingly negative news about the impact of the coronavirus pandemic in Australia has had a dramatic impact on consumer sentiment, with confidence showing its biggest ever fall since the survey moved to a weekly basis in 2008," ANZ Head of Australian Economics David Plank said.

                                    Notable points seen in the data include the 'time to buy a major household item' index falling by 37.2%, while 'current' and 'future' economic conditions fell by 23.9% and 25.8% respectively.