Bernard Etheridge of Mornington Butchery has had the busiest week "ever", with many locals stocking up on meat due to shortages in Coles, Woolworths and Aldi.

Mr Etheridge said they had been selling out of all products regularly, with mince and sausages the most popular choice for customers.

"We've never sold more meat in one week than what we have this week," he said.

"People are just stocking up, it's more than a normal weekly shop that they're doing."

Read also:

The butcher said they order more stock in twice a week, on Wednesday and Sunday nights, but said he didn't think Wednesday's order would see him through the whole weekend.

"We're unlikely to have meat on Saturday morning, we'll only have some on Monday with the new order," Mr Etheridge said.

Other businesses, though, are facing slower sales, with many residents choosing to self-isolate and practice social distancing.

View Street Takeaway owner Sarah McCann said the past week had "been hard" with less customers coming through the doors, and that it was "scary that it's only the first week of it".

"The next couple of weeks or months could be a test of all small businesses," she said.

"We're trying to be a little bit proactive about it and stocking up a little extra where we can."

The Verdict cafe owner Tracey Geddes said the catering side of her business had been hit the hardest, with events being cancelled left, right and centre.

"Any weddings, meetings or corporate events that have been booked in the next three months, they've all gone," Mrs Geddes said.

"Lunches have been pretty quiet, but breakfast and morning coffee runs haven't been too bad so far.

"We've got to try and think of things to change it up a bit in case it does lock us down."

Mrs Geddes said a potential option could be home delivery or serving coffee using the cafe's coffee cart.

"So long as everyone keeps coming out we'll be good. It is what it is, you've just got to deal with it," she said.

Enchanted on Conadilly owner Jodi Dolbel said she was reminding customers her business has an online store if they were self-isolating.

"We've have seen a decline of people coming in the store but what it means is we have to work a bit smarter, we have to innovate the way we do business with people," Mrs Dolbel said.

"We've always offered free delivery so [customers] can order over the phone and we deliver it so they don't have to leave the house.

"At the moment we've got a couple of lounge sales on the go that have been done completely by text message and email consultation and we'll then deliver."

Mrs Dolbel said locals needed to keep in mind that businesses were still open.

"We're still here. If residents can be mindful that we're doing everything we can so they can do what they can to support us, then once we're at the end of the drama they know we're still here," she said.