Nationally, Coles has recruited more than 7000 people in just two weeks and has now extended the recruitment drive by opening an additional 5000 positions across the country.

Closer to Port Stephens, Coles has recruited 63 new team members in Lake Macquarie and 60 in Newcastle.

A Coles spokesperson said it is seeking to fill a further 109 and 186 open positions in Lake Macquarie and Newcastle respectively, "providing much-needed employment opportunities at a time when many Australians are urgently seeking work".

"The local recruits have been fast-tracked into Coles' supermarkets and liquor stores across the region and have come from a wide range of industries and businesses, including many that have been forced to close or to stand down staff such as in travel, sport, fitness and hospitality," the spokesperson said.

The job roles include store team members to serve customers and replenish shelves in Coles supermarkets and liquor stores and customer service agents to deliver orders to Coles online customers.

Coles is also seeking more than 100 trade qualified bakers for in-store bakeries.

For information about roles offered at Coles visit www.colescareers.com.au.

Meanwhile, fellow supermarket giant Woolworths has plans to create up to 20,000 new jobs over the next month to meet unprecedented demand for grocery products and boost its online capabilities so it can make more home deliveries during the coronavirus lockdown.

Woolworths said most of the new jobs would be casual positions to provide "maximum workforce flexibility" to respond to peaks in demand and cover for existing team members who may be unable to work due to the spread of COVID-19.

Some 3000 people have already been placed into new roles across BWS, Dan Murphy's and Woolworths supermarkets across the country.