Christmas goodies fly off shelves - in October

Christmas is a time to feast, but some of us are starting on the festive season treats early. Photo / File

Christmas comes but once a year, but festive season goodies are bound by no such time limits.

One of New Zealand's leading supermarket chains has shared data about Kiwis' Christmas shopping habits, and they would have no trouble in making Santa shake his belly like a bowl full of jelly.

Despite Christmas still being a solid late spring storm or two away, Kiwis were not deterred in tucking into their favourite festive fare as early as last month.

During October, a couple of months before Santa loads his sleigh, those shopping at Countdown's 184 New Zealand supermarkets bought a quarter of a million fruit mince pies, 40,000 chocolate reindeer, 34,000 bags of chocolate gold coins and 33,000 chocolate Santas.

Glace cherry sales in October reached 11,500 packets an increase of almost a third on the previous year.

Three thousands Christmas cakes and more than 8000 Christmas-themed decorative products have also already been purchased by organised Kiwis.

Countdown acting general manager for merchandise, Brett Ashley, said the popularity of Christmas goodies was similar to hot cross buns appearing on shelves in January.

"In late September, we sold thousands of chocolate Santas on the first few days they hit the shelves ... some products people just love at any time of year."

A customer survey showed biscuits, fruit cake and pavlova are the most popular recipes to bake at Christmas, he said.