By Jennifer Dorsett
Field Editor

Food industry association FMI collaborated with The Hartman Group, a research and analysis firm, to conduct an online survey of more than 1,000 adults to assess the impact of COVID-19 on grocery shopper perceptions and behaviors.

Highlights of the preliminary results include consumer attitudes toward local grocery store responses to the pandemic, changes in shopping trip duration and frequency and greater reliance on online delivery options.

Public, home life has changed
More than 90 percent of consumers said the novel coronavirus was concerning, with 41 percent of those reporting to be “extremely concerned.”

Of those surveyed, 88 percent said their lives had been disrupted by the pandemic. Sixty-three percent said life was extremely or very disrupted because of closures of schools, workplaces, dining establishments and retail outlets, in addition to stay-at-home orders and the prohibition of large gatherings.

Households look different, too. One-third of respondents said they were facing an income reduction or loss from reduced hours or wages or being let go. Other consumers described circumstances such as illness in the household or a change in where they live and who lives with them.

The report said seniors 60 years of age and older and those who care for them were the most concerned about COVID-19 but working-age adults whose children are home from school or childcare or who had lost jobs were most likely to report a sense of major life disruption.

Grocery store shoppers’ responses to COVID-19
As social distancing, food supply chain disruptions and eating meals at home become more routine, most grocery shoppers reported their primary food store has handled the situation well.

Positive responses focused on efforts by store staffers to keep stores and grocery carts clean and noted helpful changes in store policies to maintain shopper safety, item availability and minimize handling of goods.

The majority of shoppers who took the survey said out-of-stock items are an ongoing concern, but most did not say they were worried about feeding their families.

Half of all respondents said they worry about other shoppers spreading illness, but consumers weren’t as concerned about contracting illness from store surfaces or employees.

Shoppers’ biggest requests included a continued focus on sanitation, reducing shopper exposure to the store by offering more delivery or pick-up options and keeping enough inventory on hand in both fresh item categories like produce, milk and meat, as well as shelf-stable goods and staples.

Shopping is more functional
About 85 percent of shoppers say they’ve changed how they shop or whom they shop with, such as leaving children at home or shopping alone instead of with a partner. About 13 percent of those surveyed say someone outside their household is now doing their shopping for them.

Shopper attitudes are now focused on purchasing needed items, stocking up and reducing time in the store.

Respondents said they’re going to fewer stores, spending more money and spending less time in stores to get their shopping done, all in an effort to minimize their exposure to others.

More shoppers turning to online options
Shoppers are using online delivery options, including home delivery, curbside or in-store pickup and standard shipping, to receive their food and household supplies.

And more people are trying these online delivery options. Twenty percent of adults surveyed said they are using online grocery shopping options for the first time that they can remember.

First-time category purchases included fresh produce, meat and bakery items. Among those who purchased fresh produce online in the past year, 42 percent said they had done so recently for the first time. Similarly, 37 percent purchased fresh bakery items and 34 percent bought fresh meats online for the first time during the past month in which the survey was conducted.

Challenges with online orders mainly revolved around out-of-stock items, delivery delays and the lack of availability of convenient pick-up or delivery times.

Summary
The coronavirus pandemic has modified shopping routines and caused shifts in consumer preferences, but it’s still unknown if these changes are temporary or here to stay as the “new normal.”

FMI plans to continue conducting surveys to capture deeper insights and track changing patterns in grocery shopping as the situation unfolds.

Click here for more FMI survey results.