With many lockdown restrictions put in place over the last year, it was inevitable that consumers’ shopping habits would change. Many people were focusing on their health more than ever before as COVID-19 spread across the world at an alarming rate.
This contributed to the change in people’s shopping habits. Brands having to adapt and shake up their processes to keep business moving along during this time was another factor.
To look at these changes more closely, 1HQ surveyed 1,000 people from across the globe to find out consumers’ thoughts on health, from the products they’re buying, the brands they’re buying from, to how they plan to take care of their health moving forward. The results were interesting, and in this post, we’re going to look into them a little further.
What do shopping habits post-pandemic look like?
The pandemic has caused a massive change in how people perceive things, and one change in particular is how people now look at shopping. 58% of respondents said they will be buying healthier goods going forward, which is no surprise as more people are trying to take better care of themselves.
43% of people surveyed said they will be more environmentally friendly when shopping and many brands are recognising that this is a concern for many consumers. Many brands are now attempting to make their products and delivery services more sustainable.
With so many people impacted financially by the pandemic, it’s understandable that 29% said they will be shopping for cheaper goods.
From these results, businesses should try to prioritise their consumers’ health while trying to keep their environmental impact to a minimum and cater to all budgets.
Which brands are shoppers more likely to buy from?
One thing that sets a lot of businesses apart from their competitors is how well they handled the pandemic and treated their customers. Companies that didn’t offer online shopping or home delivery pre-COVID and have since made the switch to accommodate customers are likely to continue to reap those sales.
The majority (59%) of those surveyed said they were more likely to choose a home delivery service over an in-store visit to buy their food groceries.
Another thing consumers are looking for from brands is products that make the health benefits very clear and visible on them. 65% said they think it’s very important for brands to highlight these benefits and 57% said they were more likely to buy from brands that put this information on packaging.
Speaking of packaging, almost half of respondents (49%) said environmental consciousness is a priority for them when it comes to selecting brands, choosing those who are more eco-friendly than a brand that is not.
Are consumers more health-conscious post-pandemic?
There’s no denying that the pandemic has had a lasting impact on consumers’ shopping habits and how they think of their health. This is evident in the survey results, with 73% saying they want to improve their fitness, 58% saying they want to have a better diet, and 53% saying a stronger immune system was important to them.
Life post-pandemic looks like it will be a lot more health-focused for many consumers. We’d like to hear your thoughts on the subject, so join in the conversation on social using the hashtag #DefinitionofHealth.
Amanda