Households are stocking up on hot water bottles, heavy blankets and door stoppers in a desperate bid to cope with soaring power bills and a bitter winter.
Big W's national sales of hot water bottles more than tripled last month compared with the same time last year.
That 216 per cent spike was surpassed only by demand for hot water bottle covers - up 428 per cent.
The national chain sold a combined 40,000 bottles and covers last month.
Shoppers trying to reduce energy consumption in the face of skyrocketing prices are also buying clothes-airing racks, an alternative to tumble dryers, with sales rising 41 per cent.
Big W spokesman Benedict Brook said people were going back to basics.
"Old-fashioned methods of keeping snug are on the rise as people try to find the most economical way to keep out the cold and control energy bills," he said.
The data shows July sales for door stoppers to plug draughts surged 19 per cent compared with a year ago.
Quilts were up 20 per cent, throw rugs up 30 per cent, and blankets up 7 per cent.
Mr Brook said the sales increases amounted to tens of thousands of extra purchases across Australia.
Big W sold a combined 50,000 clothes airers and draft stoppers in July.
Energy analyst Gavin Dufty, of the St Vincent de Paul Society, said escalating electricity and gas prices were having a profound impact on people's lives.
Mr Dufty said the situation was dire for some of the poorest households in the community, who at times had to choose between heating, eating and buying medicine, or sought refuge at warm shopping centres rather than leaving heaters on at home.
"We are concerned that some pensioners and other low-income households are becoming scared to switch on lights and heating because they are so worried about how big their bill is going to be," Mr Dufty said.
"We don't want a situation where people are not heating their homes at the expense of their health."
Charities are bracing for an influx of pleas for relief when winter electricity and gas bills arrive in letterboxes in coming weeks.
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