According to market intelligence agency Mintel, the online grocery market will grow by 33% this year. This incredibly high yet understandable rise has put an end to four years of slow growth and what was a fall in growth last of a measly 2.9%.
Due to lockdowns and people spending more time indoors COVID-19 has caused a clear change in how consumer shop online, Mintel believes these online habits are here to stay and it is indeed likely that consumers will do more of their shopping online after being forced to spend more time getting clued up on it an learning more about online brands and marketplaces.
Before social distancing began 7% of Brits increased their total amount of grocery and non-grocery online shopping. In less than 2 months that number increased to 36%. 50% of British consumers are limiting the time they spend in-store with 9% opting for click and collect.
“Over the course of just a few months, COVID-19 has had a seismic impact on Britain’s grocery sector. The pandemic is giving a significant short-term boost to online grocery services, as shoppers look to avoid stores and limit their contact with the outside world. However, the impact will last beyond the crisis. Shopper numbers in the online grocery market have plateaued in recent years as retailers struggled to get new customers to try these services. The outbreak is bringing a new audience to online grocery, and this should boost the market long term with strong growth forecast through to 2024.”
– Nick Carroll, Associate Director of Retail Research at Mintel
Older generations go online
37% of over 65s are said to have increased the amount of shopping they’ve done since the COVID-19 outbreak. Despite the rise in older generations shopping online the number of older people who understand how to do their online shopping is still fairly low. Many of this generation still relies heavily on family and friends helping them.
“There is a real need to ensure access to online grocery deliveries for older consumers. We’re seeing some retailers already thinking of easier ways to order goods, including phone orders for next-day delivery.”
– Nick Carroll, Associate Director of Retail Research at Mintel
One Response
37% of over 65s are said to have increased the amount of shopping they’ve done since the COVID-19 outbreak. You do not say.
That is because the are “terrified” to go outdoors, I see this every day.
When Boris decided tell everyone to book an online delivery they DID, what he forget to check was the actual capacity that could be supported it is very small part of the actual supermarket. When I started we had like 7 vans and 12 drivers we are now up to 20 regular drivers and 10 temps and more vans arrive everyday and we are out to 07.00 to 23.00 hours as of this week covering 100s of miles.
I have been dropping at people who have not left the house for over 2 months, the buying online is not a choice it is a necessity and these are the lucky ones who have got on a vulnerable slot or one one off us have remembered from previous drop and got them a telephone order, but more have been left behind. Far many more are being left behind. I cannot even get a slot for my own parents.
“There is a real need to ensure access to online grocery deliveries for older consumers”
Well if you can go out do not take the slot for one go to store or do click and collect they have been telling you this for weeks it will free up the capacity so much and more who really need it will get it.
I think Government help has been poor, our lot were asking Sturgeon for a list for weeks of people to contact.
Some of these people are not even getting the carers going in anymore and are totally isolated and it has become a terrible situation. Some people are so grateful when we show up as they are desperate and dare I say it hungry.
This is also the summer if this thing goes on into the winter with a 2nd wave it will get even harder.