New Zealanders are purchasing 3 times as many sex toys during lockdown

• Sex toy sales have boomed at Adult Toy Megastore in New Zealand since the country's government announced it would go on lockdown, according to The Guardian.
• The sex store is deemed an essential service by the governments since it sells condoms and medical items, but staff are working from home.
• A spokesperson for Adult Toy Megastore told Insider they expected increasing sales for toys that could "communicate" with each other through apps, bluetooth or video so that couples could use them even if they're not together.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

New Zealanders are snapping up at least one product during the global pandemic — sex toys.

On April 8, The Guardian published an article that said in the 48 hours before New Zealand went on national lockdown on March 25, sex toy sales tripled at Adult Toy Megastore.

New Zealand's handling of the coronavirus by trying to eliminate rather than contain the coronavirus was praised earlier this week by The Washington Post.

Adult Toy Megastore spokesperson Emily Writes, who also spoke to The Guardian, told Insider that sales had boomed internationally too, and she thought it was because of New Zealand's media coverage.

"Hygiene protocols are really strict here for us so it might be reassuring to people wanting to order," she said.

The sex store remains open in New Zealand after the government deemed it an essential service because it sells medical items and condoms. All staff are working from home.

Writes said the beginner range of toys were very popular. She told Insider: "It seems like women, in particular, are thinking 'well, I'm at home, alone, so there's no better time to try something new'."

Writes said she expected an increase in sales for sex toys that can communicate with each other. "Some of our toys have the ability to connect through an app, Bluetooth or by video so that couples can use them even if they're not together," she said.

Along with entry-level toys, and toys that can communicate, sales have spiked for condoms, lubricant, menstrual cups, adult board games, and sex toy cleaner.

New Zealand has some history with sex toys. In an infamous moment in national politics in 2016, a protester threw a dildo at former Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce.

Josie Butler, who threw the object at Joyce while he was speaking to media, shouted: "that's for raping our sovereignty," referring to the Trans-Pacific Partnership, according to Stuff.co.nz.

—Ben Guerin (@bjhguerin) February 5, 2016

The moment was covered by late-night television host John Oliver, and former Prime Minister John Key told the New Zealand Herald: it was "appalling" that the image went viral, meaning there would be people from "all over the world" who said that New Zealanders commemorated their national day "with a senior politician having a sex toy thrown at them," he said.

Now, New Zealanders are in the news again for sex toys.

But things might be slowing down for locals. According to an automated message sent to customers that Insider received while hunting for a communications person, it said it was starting to "see delays with the couriers due to restrictions being put in place to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic."

Although, couriers were "trying their best to keep processes continuing as normal."

Read the original article on Insider