The COVID-19 pandemic altered the way people shop. Near the beginning, people rushed to supermarkets to panic buy and stockpile products, such as toilet paper and canned food, per a study published by the National Center for Biotechnology Information.
Other people began grocery shopping online for pickup or delivery straight to their door. According to Supermarket News, 40% of people used online pickup more than before the pandemic, and 46% used online delivery more.
A new U.S. eGrocery Market forecast suggests that online grocery shopping will grow significantly. According to the report, online grocery sales are expected to rise nearly 12% over the next five years. In comparison, in-store sales will increase at just 6.8%. However, online pickup is expected to be more popular than online delivery. Pickup sales are predicted to grow at approximately 14% in five years compared to a delivery sales rate of about 11%.
What’s driving these numbers? The report’s sponsors, Brick Meets Click and Mercatus, suggest that health concerns surrounding respiratory illnesses, such as the flu, contribute to high online grocery shopping demands. Whether you prefer browsing through the aisle or on your phone, online grocery shopping is here to stay.
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