SAN DIEGO, CA - While there has been much discussion and speculation as to how COVID-19 precautions impacted grocery shopping long-term, Mercato dove into the generational aspect. Already a platform which strives to create a consistent online experience to match in-store, the nationwide business took to 1,000 consumers to see which ages took the sharpest turns in shopping over the past year-plus.

Around 14 percent of respondents viewed in-store grocery shopping as a high-risk activity. Over half reported that they take all the precautions they can at the store, while only 3 percent of shoppers questioned believed there is no risk of exposure to COVID-19 when shopping, per the report. As to produce specifically, the very component that has delayed our industry’s mass move to e-commerce with other goods and services is also what was seen as a plus in post-COVID-19 precautions.

“We noticed a change pertaining to produce in particular that people welcomed, which was minimizing employee handling; 32 percent of people were more willing to visit stores more frequently when employee handling was kept minimal (FMI). Given that 56.4 percent of people from our survey said they take as much precaution while grocery shopping, this stat was on trend with our survey participants,” Melody Kasulis, a member of the creative team for Mercato, shared with me.

Grocery shopping strategies, Mercato reported, differed slightly by generation in regards to how shoppers would respond to rising cases of COVID-19.

Members of Gen X were most likely to cut down on in-store shopping, increase their online grocery shopping frequency, and make bigger or bulk purchases of goods, while Boomers were most likely to increase personal protective gear while shopping (42 percent), but the least likely to stock up on essentials (19 percent). Millennials said they would shop in stores less frequently, and slightly favored ordering groceries for pick-up over delivery. To see the full report, click here.

Mercato provides an easy-to-use alternative to in-person shopping, giving consumers a convenient way to shop virtually and have their groceries delivered direct to the door, coming in especially useful for retailers still feeling their way through this space or, after the past year, finding it better to share the work with an experienced partner.

As questions persist about the lasting impacts of the pandemic or policies to come, AndNowUKnow will continue to report the latest.

Mercato