Panic buying, which started several weeks ago with a run on toilet paper, has ramped up to the point where many supermarket chains are out of common grocery items, like meat and pasta.

Shoppers this week turned to independent butchers. North Nowra Butchery has seen double their usual number of customers through the door each day, butcher Joseph Woszatka says.

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"People have been stocking up their freezers all week," he said.

"A lot of them are local elderly people looking after themselves, wanting to stock up so they can stay inside, and we understand that. Vulnerable people need to look after themselves.

"We've also had a lot of new customers who can't get anything at the shops.

"As a small store, it's taken us by storm."

Mr Woszatka and Nowra Fresh owner Daniel Fawel agreed that the most in-demand products had been mince and chicken.

"I went to Sydney today and bought two and a half tonnes of meat for mince, and maybe 120kg of scotch fillet," Mr Fawel said.

"People are targeting anything that goes in the freezer easily."