Top 12 COVID-19 Trends in the Consumer Goods Supply Chain

Top 12 COVID-19 Trends in the Consumer Goods Supply Chain

As the United States becomes the new epicenter of COVID-19, here’s a closer look at the country’s consumer goods supply chain and how the pandemic is changing shopping patterns among consumers.

Panic Induced Binge-Buying

Toilet paper and hand sanitizers emerged as the ultimate quarantine essentials.

  1. Household toilet paper sales rocketed 845% in mid-March as states announced lockdowns.
  2. Hand sanitizer sales skyrocketed 470% and disinfectant product sales shot up 385%.

Flying off Supermarket Shelves

Canned, dried, and refrigerated consumer goods are flying off the shelves in supermarkets.

  1. Rice, flour, and pasta sales went up by 239%, 205%, and 179% respectively.
  2. Frozen vegetables, fruit, and canned fish and meat sales rose by 129%, 117%, and 169%.

Online Shopping of Essentials

To avoid crowded supermarkets, more and more shoppers are turning online to find essentials.

  1. The largest increase in E-commerce shopping of essentials was seen in Vietnam - 57%, India - 55%, China - 50%, and Italy - 31%.
  2. The online purchase of household cleaning goods, baby products, work from home essentials, and pet care products went up by 210%, 201%, 84%, and 55% respectively.

Retailers Going Omnichannel

Grocery and food and beverage brands are working towards omnichannel fulfillment.

  1. More than 40% of American E-grocery shoppers during mid-March were first-time buyers.
  2. 'Buy Online and Pick-up In-Store’ (BOIPS) orders in the U.S. surged by 62% during the first month of the outbreak

Proactive Healthy Buying

Consumers shifting towards more preventive and responsible shopping of healthcare products.

  1. The demand for surgical masks and gloves, personal wipes, and cold remedies surged by 377%, 231%, and 226%.

Safe Doorstep Delivery Practices

Greater emphasis is being placed on delivery options that minimize social interactions.

  1. 69% of shoppers consider home delivery as the safest option of buying during the pandemic.
  2. Hyperlocal grocery delivery apps, Instacart, Walmart Grocery, and Shipt have seen daily downloads surge by 218%, 160%, and 124% respectively.
  3. Hygienic grocery delivery and “click-and-collect” pickup services in the U.S. rose to 31% since the outbreak.

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