New research from Royal Mail has revealed Britains online shopping habits during the COVID-19 lockdown. Nearly half of UK adults have been receiving more parcels since measures first began, showing how reliant our nation has become on the ability to shop online.
People seeking emotional comfort from online shopping could be one of the reasons why more adults are receiving more parcels as Royal Mail’s data shows that 36% of people felt receiving a parcel was the highlight of their day and 53% felt that receiving parcels has become more important since March 23rd. Consumers being able to retain a sense of normality during such strange times has been beneficial not only to the sanity of the public but to the growth of ecommerce and will be forever remembered as such.
The growth of ecommerce
The majority of UK adults in the research believe that the current amount of money they spend and the frequency with which they shop online will continue once the lockdown has ended. The data also shows that older generations are receiving almost as many parcels as younger generations and so those who would have done less of their shopping online have found themselves with a new convenient way to shop. It’s also evident that businesses previously limited by their physical stores are now building their online presence and 26% of adults anticipate that they will spend more money online once measures are lifted so the growth of Online shopping is likely to continue.
“Keeping the nation connected in these unprecedented times is of vital importance to us. It is perhaps unsurprising that for many customers, receiving an item that they have ordered online from our postmen and postwomen can really brighten up their day in such challenging times.”
– Shane O’Riordain, Managing Director of Marketing, Regulation & Corporate Affairs, Royal Mail
