It’s no secret COVID-19 has forced consumers to rethink nearly every aspect of their day-to-day. As consumers navigate the innate need to change and adapt, they are working differently, learning differently, shopping, eating, and interacting with others differently – all while seeking a sense of normalcy, safety and routine.

With this major consumer shift and evolution, the grocery retail industry is tracking shopping trends at the store level, online and overall eating behaviors.

We’ve pulled some insights from research conducted by The Hartman Group for The Food Industry Association’s (previously Food Marketing Institute) 2020 U.S. Grocery Shopper Trends report to share three main areas of consumer behavior change as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and why it matters to brands.

• Grocery Shopping Behavior
• Online Shopping Behavior
• Eating Behavior

Part 1: Grocery Shopping Behavior

Grocery shopper personas are vast: there’s the type-A shopper who gets in and out as fast as possible; the online-only shopper; the master budgeter; the up and down every aisle culinary explorer; and even the coveted kid-free shopper. No matter the persona, the COVID-19 pandemic shifted behaviors of nearly every shopper in the grocery retail industry this spring. Evolving shopping trends challenged the agility of brand strategy and the need for retailers to adapt to these behaviors – and quickly. Here are a few ways grocery shopping trends have shifted as a result of the pandemic and considerations for meeting consumers’ evolving needs.

91% of shoppers reported at least one change in the where/what/who/how of household grocery shopping due to the COVID-19 pandemic:

• 44% spend more money each visit
• 40% shop at fewer stores
• 32% had shorter shopping trips
• 24% send only one person to shop instead of 2+ pre-pandemic

1. Changes in who is doing the grocery shopping

Pre-COVID-19 – nearly all Americans (93%) participated at some point in the household grocery shopping, making it a fairly universal responsibility among households. Since the start of the virus, 36% of shoppers have made some change in who does the shopping. Of those, the majority (24%) reduced the number of shoppers going into the store to just one person. Another change was having a friend or family member shop on behalf of others in the household – an act seen as heroic by many, as consumers have strived to keep those at higher risk of the virus safe.

Food for thought: Suspend your existing customer personas to accommodate this shift in buying behavior. How can you better meet the needs of the COVID-era shopper to build brand loyalty long-term?

2. Changes in volume and spend on groceries

With consumer concerns on the rise, so are grocery bills. 44% of shoppers reported spending more money on groceries each visit as a result of COVID-19. Pre-pandemic trends showed that the average grocery spend per week per household was going up, from about $93 per week in 2007 to $121 per week at the beginning of 2020. But demand for groceries surged in late March to $161 per week as shoppers stocked up and panic purchased. By April, spend fell to around $126 per week as shoppers eased on excessive buying. The foreseeable trend, however, indicates a higher than normal weekly spend as home cooking remains a popular alternative to restaurant services in many households.

Food for thought: Leverage your social channels to connect with them at home. With grocery spend on the rise and more consumers choosing homemade, spark budget-friendly, at-home meal ideas that provide consumers with stress-free, time-saving, affordable solutions.

3. Changes in frequency of grocery shopping

Prior to the pandemic, consumers took 2.7 trips to the grocery store in a typical week between the main shopper and a secondary shopper. In late March, consumers were shopping more often – about 3.6 trips per week – as out-of-stock items and supply chain uncertainty struck fear in consumers. However, by mid-April, trips dipped back to normal as stock-up behavior trended down and consumers started to avoid going into the store all together, making online shopping offerings a popular choice for many consumers. This behavior was seen from both returning shoppers ramping up their online purchases and even new shoppers trying it for the very first time.

Food for thought: Develop a digital strategy that allows you to quickly pivot to respond to consumer needs and long-range trends. As more consumers opt for online and mobile purchases as a whole, monitor and optimize your site’s user experience and functionality. 

4. Changes in how many places consumers shop

Not so surprising, the number of stores consumers shopped at during the peak of the pandemic dropped, with 40% of shoppers reporting they shopped at fewer stores in an effort to reduce exposure.

At the start of 2020, supermarkets were the most used retail channel as 50% of shoppers were frequently shopping at a regular supermarket. While the supermarket continues to be the top choice of store format for shoppers, club stores gained popularity during the pandemic, as well as limited assortment or smaller format stores such as drug stores and convenience stores. This is likely due to some shoppers desiring fewer trips with bulk items and other shoppers desiring less “traffic” while they shop.

Food for thought: Clear communications can put customers at ease. With less time spent in-store, and a hyper-awareness of safety and hygiene; ensure you’re communicating two critical shared interests – safety and value.

 What hasn’t changed? Consumer Loyalty

It’s evident that consumers are being strategic about their grocery shopping habits: designating a family shopper, reducing trips and ordering online are just a few. However, one thing that hasn’t changed is consumer loyalty to a primary store. While shoppers do spread their food dollars around, they still spend about 75% of their food dollars at their primary store – whether in store or online.

During the pandemic, the supermarket maintained a solid position as the primary store format in the grocery retail landscape. Even though people were shopping more online, they turned to their primary supermarket for the same services. Only 10% of shoppers said that they changed their primary store during the pandemic and over half of people said that they are relying on their grocery store even more, likely in an effort to find solutions for one-stop shopping and online shopping services.

Food for thought: Discover what’s important to consumers and what makes them loyal to your brand. Recognize your core customers and identify ways to acquire more like them. In the midst of extreme change, shared values and solutions for consumers can be key drivers of brand success.

Next up, we’ll take a deeper dive into the impact of online grocery shopping and the competitive advantage it’s given retailers who have adapted to leverage this powerful capability.

With shopping behavior and priorities shifting, has your brand strategy evolved to meet consumer needs? At MorganMyers, we understand the supply chain – from the farmer to the consumer. Our expertise in the ag, food and retail landscape helps shape and guide brands in the midst of challenge, change and evolution. Let’s talk.