How are consumer habits changing in the face of COVID-19?

We thought we were slowly but surely getting out of the health crisis, but reality is catching up with us. The measures taken by the government over the last month to fight against theacceleration of the pandemic do not seem to be sufficient. In a state of mind that is annoyed or even slightly irritable, we can start to think differently, to conceive things in a different way. But are we going to reconsider our consumption habits in the face of COVID-19?

Divergent habits:

Consumers are concerned about the health and economic impacts of COVID-19. There are many different reactions, behaviors and buying habits. According to the research report conducted by Accenture, "Consumers are reacting to the crisis in a variety of ways. Some feel anxious... which encourages compulsive buying of basic goods and hygiene. Others remain indifferent Others remain indifferent to the pandemic and carry on with their activities as usual, despite government and health professionals' recommendations. "The observation is obvious: consumers bought hand sanitizer first, before focusing their purchases on groceries. The anxiety is palpable and certainly justified. Paradoxically, research indicates that the new habits that are formed will last over time and permanently change the way we live or work.

Covid and consumer habits: Consumers' priorities are changing

We can notice that what seemed "essential" before the crisis is not necessarily so anymore. The health crisis we are going through impacts our economy and our way of consuming. The Nielsen Institute points this out in a recent article. "The uncertainty around the current health situation has an influence influence on the behavior of consumers. On the one hand, they follow the government's sanitary instructions but sometimes over-react... by stocking certain products of by stockpiling certain basic necessities."Faced with this exceptional situation, consumers react according to the state of emergency rather than in a completely rational way. Shoppers are refocusing on basic needs, but not only: they are buying more locally and embracing digital commerce.

The virtualization of retail and e-commerce: an anchor now :

Online sales have doubled in just a few months, and the latest figures from FEVAD speak for themselves. Online sales reached 10% of the share of FMCG sales during the covid period vs. 5.7% in 2019 (including drive). (Source: Nielsen / FEVAD, 2020)At the same time, GetApp 's study on shopping and virtual reality reveals, "49% of consumers perceive virtual reality shopping as a shopping method that reduces exposure to COVID-19 risks." Virtual reality thus offers a fast experience that meets current health standards. These two trends reflect a profound change in consumer habits, and are certain to continue. If we look to Asia or the United States, we can also clearly see that consumer habits have changed, and a return to the past is unlikely. The retail sector is certainly facing difficulties, but the solutions offered by virtual reality will enable you to meet this challenge . The Retail VR team is at your disposal to help you get started. Let's get in touch today!

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