Grocery stores see hand sanitizer purchase up 470%, apples down 3%

FILE - In this March 3, 2020 file photo, shelves that held hand sanitizer and hand soap are mostly empty at a Target. FILE - In this March 3, 2020 file photo, shelves that held hand sanitizer and hand soap are mostly empty at a Target. Photo: Seth Wenig, Associated Press Photo: Seth Wenig, Associated Press Image 1 of / 32 Caption Close Grocery stores see hand sanitizer purchase up 470%, apples down 3% 1 / 32 Back to Gallery

By now, you've seen the empty grocery store aisles and cleaned-out shelves that normally hold hand sanitizer and toilet paper. But people are also stocking up on a lot more oat milk and alternative meats, according to Nielsen data reported by NPR this week.

Some of the data is unsurprising — sales for aerosol disinfectants are up 385.3% and rubbing alcohol is up 253.8% — while some reflect the changing landscape of grocery shopping. Oat milk sales are up 347.3% and fresh meat alternatives are up 206.4%.

Interestingly, some fruits and vegetables saw decreases in sales. Celery purchases were down 18.7% and apples were down 3.2%.

Data was for the week ending March 7. See the full list on NPR.

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Tessa McLean is a digital editor with SFGATE. Email her at tessa.mclean@sfgate.com or follow her on Twitter @mcleantessa.