Capgemini has launched a new report looking at the impact of coronavirus on consumer shopping behaviour, based on a survey of over 11,000 global consumers at the beginning of April 2020. Key findings include:
- Globally consumers are optimistic about recovery, with 48% expecting recovery in the next six months. When asked about the next 12 months, positive sentiment increases, with 70% optimistic about recovery
- However, UK shoppers are more pessimistic: only 37% are optimistic that the UK will recover in six months
- Attitudes to in-store shopping: 59% of consumers worldwide said they had high levels of interaction with physical stores before COVID-19, but today less than a quarter (24%) see themselves in that high-interaction category. In next 6-9 months, only 39% of consumers expect a high level of interaction with physical stores, clearly below the pre-COVID levels
- Automation is becoming a must-have: 57% of consumers would be more comfortable with complete in-store automation that does not require touch-based practices in a post-pandemic era (for example, product information search, in-store navigation, and order to payment done on the consumer’s phone)
- Safety is now a key differentiator: 77% of consumers will be more cautious about cleanliness, health, and safety in the post-pandemic era. Nearly 62% will also switch to brands that show higher levels of product safety and 54% will prefer local items over imports due to safety concerns over the use of foreign products. This increased consumer awareness translates into increasing demand for safety measures during in-store shopping and delivery.
Click to read the full report including guidance for retailers and consumer product organisations on how to alter their operating models to best serve changing consumer needs.
