New research reveals that despite nine in 10 (93%) believing it’s important to now reduce how often they go out shop, the nation is continuing to panic buy certain items – a quarter (26%) have bought more toilet paper than usual in the past week, rising to a third (29%) when it comes to store cupboard items such as pasta.
Data and insights firm delineate has created the COVID-19 Impact Tracker which also reveals a significant shift in purchasing habits – over a fifth (21%) of the UK had someone else do their food shopping last week. The impact this has on brand / product choices is difficult to predict.
And 50% of those surveyed believe it’s important to support local over national retailers – the latter presenting a clear opportunity for independent stores.
Similarly, two fifths (40%) of people are showing solidarity towards local businesses by purchasing takeaways from cafes, restaurants and bars where possible.
A third (33%) of shoppers are still struggling to find what they need on shelf, although this has fallen significantly from 45% a week ago, following reports of a huge increase in production of goods.
With almost half (48%) of UK adults now worried about food prices, and only 50% saying that they trust grocery retailers and supermarkets in this time of crisis, it’s clear that now, more than ever, is the time for brands to show they’re playing their part in helping the nation through these uncertain times.
Ben Leet, Chief Customer Officer for delineate comments: “It’s clear that the pandemic is uncovering new and tough challenges for retailers. Brands must be nimble and pivot their strategies to win in consumers’ hearts and minds and accommodate changing purchasing habits. We have developed our COVID-19 Impact Tracker to collect up to the minute, ready for use data for responsive decision making.”
delineate has launched a daily tracking study into the impact of the Coronavirus crisis in the UK and US, with other markets coming online imminently. The tracker is aimed at helping brands understand shifts in demand and buying behaviours across a range of sectors, as well as providing valuable insights into consumer sentiment towards advertising and brand communications during the crisis.
Unlike ad hoc research studies, delineate feed tracking data on a daily basis into clients via dashboards or other data connections, enabling real time decision making.
To find out more about delineate’s COVID-19 Impact Tracker, please visit:https://delineate.agency/covid-19-impact-tracker-d
