The surge in demand for grocery delivery will continue after the coronavirus pandemic ends, as shoppers look to maintain the benefits it has offered during the lockdown period, explains a report.
According to the HIM & MCA Insight UK Recovery Report 2020, 29% of shoppers are shopping online for food and drink more than before the lockdown began, with 20% of these shoppers planning to continue to use grocery delivery services more even when lockdown has ended.
This then rises to 36% of 25-34 year olds, highlighting the importance of building loyalty during the lockdown period to maintain these new users as the market recovers and we enter ‘adjusted normality’.
Read more: Lockdown changing consumer behaviours, research shows
Another group of shoppers who have increased their use of online grocery is the 75+ year-olds, facilitated by the prioritisation of delivery slots for the elderly and vulnerable by grocery retailers. For this group, building customer trust will be important to encourage these consumers to continue to use delivered grocery following the lockdown.
In addition to supermarket delivery services, 12% of shoppers are ordering groceries through delivery apps, such as Deliveroo and Ubereats, more than they did before lockdown began. Of those already using delivery apps more for grocery shopping, 5% expect to continue to do so once lockdown ends.
Blonnie Walsh, head of insight at HIM & MCA Insight said, “Through lockdown, existing online retailers have upweighted their delivery capabilities. In addition, retailers new to online delivery have found the platforms and infrastructure to support them within a channel that has seen significant growth. However, we don’t expect this growth to be short-term, with increased usage of grocery online set to be a legacy behaviour in the aftermath of coronavirus.
