- Latest YouGov global report ‘Consumer goods in a crisis’ examines consumers’ attitudes to fast moving/consumer packaged goods across 17 global markets.
- Two thirds (66%) say they will make more of an effort to shop locally
- A quarter (23%) have spent more on alcohol since pandemic
- About half (51%) of those aged 25 to 34 bought groceries online last month
YouGov’s ‘International FMCG/CPG report 2021: Consumer goods in a crisis’ reveals changes to Aussies consumption of fast moving / consumer packed goods since the pandemic.
The start of the pandemic and announcement of lockdowns saw shoppers across the world panic-buying toilet paper and pasta and Australia was no different. Images of bare supermarket shelves and long queues flooded the media, with Cole’s and Woolworth’s imposing limits on purchases of toilet paper. A year later, about half (48%) admit that their shopping habits have changed since the pandemic.
With much of the focus last year being to stay at home and stay clean, over a third (36%) have bought more home cleaning products. Of all the consumer goods YouGov polled Australians on, it is fruits and vegetables that most shoppers report spending more on, with three in ten (30%) saying their consumption has increased. Shoppers have also stocked up more on frozen foods in the past year, with almost three in ten (28%) reporting increased consumption. This is followed by junk food and food cupboard items (both 27%), ready-meals (20%), dairy items (19%) and bakery goods (18%). A quarter (23%) of Aussies have also been buying more alcohol since the pandemic, and amongst those aged 18 to 34, this jumps up to over a third (35%).
Cosmetic products did not quite see the same spike in consumption, with only 9% reporting an increase in spending. Overall, two in ten (21%) say they are now spending less on cosmetics.
About one in five (20%) Singaporeans say their buy their groceries or household essentials via online supermarkets, and a third (32%) have done so in the past month. Aussies aged 25 to 34 are the most likely to buy their groceries online, with half (51%) doing so in the past month.
YouGov also asked shoppers how they foresee their habits changing as a result of the pandemic. A third (34%) say they are now more likely to buy things in bulk. About a third (32%) agree they will be shopping more online – a sentiment echoed particularly by younger shoppers (aged 25 to 34) with half (51%) agreeing with this statement. Older shoppers are less likely to be reverting to online shopping post-pandemic, with only one in six (16%) over the age of 55 agreeing that they will make more use of online shopping / delivery. Two thirds (66%) say they will make more of an effort to support local businesses and half (50%) say they will buy more sustainable products in the future.
Ervin Ha, Head of Data Products for YouGov APAC: “The COVID-19 pandemic has created both challenges and opportunities within the FMCG sector. It hasn't had a one-size-fits-all impact on shopping behaviour and there are very real differences between different categories and markets. Whether these changes will be long-lasting or short-term remains to be seen but, as we enter the second year of the crisis, understanding consumer sentiment will be for keeping FMCG players on the front foot.”
***Results based on 1,005 Australians surveyed on YouGov Omnibus
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