On Behavior of Shoppers During the Pandemic

A  look at shopping behavior in SupermarketNews  Adds some understanding to current and future shopping behavior.   Online has not replaced in store shopping yet.

Most grocery shoppers choose stores over online during coronavirus crisis
Nearly half of consumers have paid more for a product, Harris Interactive/Toluna poll finds
Russell Redman 1 | Apr 20, 2020

The prevalence of coronavirus nationwide hasn’t kept grocery shoppers out of stores, and many are shelling out extra to get what they want, a new Harris Interactive/Toluna survey reveals.

Of 1,047 Americans polled between April 9 and April 14, 70% said they are still visiting stores to buy their groceries rather than ordering online, according to the latest Toluna and Harris Interactive COVID-19 Barometer, a biweekly index that taps into a community panel of 30 million consumers.

Related: More grocery shoppers making their first-ever online orders during pandemic

Survey respondents said the top purchases on their shopping list are frozen food (cited by 65%), cleaning products (56%) and toilet paper (53%). Those product categories remain among the hardest-hit in terms of grocery retailer out-of-stocks, and most respondents pointed the finger at shopper hoarding as the reason. Eighty-five percent of those polled blame shortages of items like hand sanitizer, pasta and toilet paper on other shoppers.

When asked how coronavirus lockdown measures have impacted their shopping, 60% of consumers reported they have gone without products or services, and 47% said they paid more for something than they normally would. 

Related: Grocery shopping behavior shifts into ‘home-confined buying’

“Despite the social distancing and government warnings to stay home, Americans are still shopping for their groceries in store, and if they can’t easily find what they need, they are willing to pay more,” explained Lucia Juliano, head of CPG and retail research at Harris Interactive and Toluna. “The survey also reveals that paper and cleaning products continue to top America’s shopping lists, which could explain why many stores and online retailers are experiencing shortages in these respective areas.”  .... "