Australian retailer Woolworths' supermarket sales jump on panic buying

[BENGALURU] Woolworths Group reported an 11.3 per cent rise in third-quarter supermarket sales on Thursday, led by a surge in demand for groceries and household goods as consumers stockpiled due to the coronavirus outbreak.

Australia's largest supermarket chain said sales at its supermarket division, its biggest money earner, rose to A$11.17 billion (S$10.31 billion) from A$10.03 billion a year earlier.

Comparable sales at the division grew to 10.3 per cent, compared with an Easter-adjusted figure of 4.2 per cent growth last year.

REUTERS