One in three APAC consumers hiked online grocery spending

Consumers have been more willing (and sometimes forced) to cook at home during the pandemic.

Asia Pacific’s e-commerce retail is overcrowded with prospects as nearly a third (32%) of consumers are buying groceries online more frequently, according to a report from GlobalData.

A survey revealed that nearly half or 43% of respondents in the APAC are extremely concerned about the impact of the pandemic in general, and 32% of them are extremely worried about their financial situation. Over seven in 10 (72%) are also working from home in Q1.

Since the pandemic has pushed many to work from home, consumers have been more willing to cook at home, said GlobalData’s retail analyst Ankita Roy.

“This has created an opportunity for the brands to target this behavior with affordable grocery options, or to provide recipe inspirational videos online to attract more customers and promote their range of products,” Roy said.

Convenience (73%) and time-saving aspect (67%) are the two primary drivers of online shopping in the APAC region. Shoppers also relied on online channels to take benefit of lower prices (48%) and variety & choice available (47%).

“Retailers must continue to focus on personalization as a differentiating factor to stand out in a crowded market. This will help the retailers to attract 83%* consumers who are always/often influenced by how well a product is tailored to their needs and personality,” Roy said.