Number of online shoppers has doubled for food through Corona
Just under three quarters complain about the neglect of distance and hygiene rules on site
Yoghurt, wine, vegetables, fruit: since the outbreak of the Corona crisis and the associated restrictions on public life, almost twice as many consumers buy their food on the Internet as before. Whereas 16 percent used to do so, 30 percent now state that they order their food online frequently or from time to time. This is the result of a representative survey conducted by the digital association Bitkom among 1,003 people in Germany aged 16 and over in April 2020.
According to the survey, online supermarkets such as rewe.de, bringmeister.de and Amazon Fresh were particularly boosted by the Corona crisis: While 7 percent of those surveyed stated that they had already shopped there before the outbreak of the corona pandemic in Germany, 19 percent said they had done so since the outbreak of the pandemic. In addition, 10 percent made purchases online on platforms and sites for direct ordering of agricultural products such as online farm shops before Corona - and 14 percent have been doing so since then. According to consumers, food purchases via large platforms such as Ebay or Amazon have also increased, albeit on a very small scale: only 1 percent say they ordered food there at least now and then before Corona - 5 percent have done so since the outbreak of the pandemic. The respondents were able to indicate several options. "Consumer behavior has changed significantly during the Corona crisis - even when it comes to buying food. Shopping online is not only safer, but also more convenient in terms of the risk of infection. Many people who have now switched over can now experience the advantages of online shopping directly and will also get used to it in the long term," says Bitkom CEO Dr. Bernhard Rohleder.
At the top, however, is still the stationary food trade - although there are significant declines. According to the Bitkom study, 75 percent said they had shopped in supermarkets before the Corona crisis and 71 percent in discounters. These figures have fallen to 65 percent and 58 percent respectively for the period since the outbreak of the pandemic. In contrast, there has been an increase in demand for regional products: 43 percent of consumers say they have bought food at the weekly market since the outbreak of the corona pandemic - 37 percent did so previously. 27 percent currently shop in farm shops, an increase of 4 percentage points over the time before Corona.
Overall, many consumers feel uncomfortable when shopping in stationary supermarkets. 65 percent agree with the statement that they have a queasy feeling when entering. Just under three-quarters (74 percent) complain that too many people do not observe the required distance and hygiene rules.
www.bitkom.de