South Taranaki shoppers have stocked up on saveloys and condensed milk amid fears the foods are to be banned.
The stockpiling was sparked by a misunderstood television item.
Three weeks ago, TV3 current affairs presenter John Campbell announced "the death of the sav".
Campbell did explain that saveloys and condensed milk had not been banned, but simply dropped from the basket of goods used to measure inflation, because they are no longer staple food items.
Since then, New World supermarket in Hawera has sold twice as many tins of the sticky sweet milk and a third more of the red sausages.
Other Taranaki stores report sales have increased 10% to 15% and Nestle says Hawke's Bay condensed milk sales also seem up.
Chef Richard Till of TV show Kiwi Kitchen says it's sweet that people responded to the perceived threat - but believes enough government ministers probably enjoy a saveloy after work to rule out such a ban.
