The UK online grocery market is set to grow by 53.8% by 2022, according to new figures from grocery research organisation IGD.
Currently the online grocery segment accounts for £10.4 billion of the £184.5 billion UK grocery market. This is set to rise to £16 billion by 2022, as the fastest growing segment.
Shoppers are increasingly turning online for their food and grocery purchases, with two out of five (42%) UK grocery shoppers now using online as part of their grocery shops every month, according to IGD.
Three out of five (60%) plan to shop online for groceries and have them delivered to their home in the next two to three years.
Those who already shop online are also doing so more frequently. Some 28% of online shoppers claim to shop once a week or more online, compared with 20% in 2013. Online delivery saver passes are helping to lock in shopper loyalty and increase frequency of shops, with 29% of online shoppers claiming to be subscribed to this type of scheme.
IGD shopper insight manager Vanessa Henry claimed that more shoppers are engaging with online grocery shopping than ever before.
“What’s really interesting though is that, on the whole, online is not being used in isolation,” she said. “What we call ‘omnichannel shoppers’ are having a big impact on the grocery market, with over half (54%) of shoppers claiming that they use five or more different channels every month, as well as buying from 12 different store brands on average.
“Retailers should therefore consider how they are driving loyalty so that they become the brand of choice, for example with online delivery saver passes or special promotions.”
IGD research suggests that the most popular combinations for online shoppers are using online and larger stores, and online and convenience stores. A significant 40% of shoppers said they have used either a blend of online and supermarkets or hypermarkets and convenience stores in the last month for their food and grocery shopping.
Senior innovations and trends analyst at IGD, Toby Pickard, said: “The online segment is a great area to invest in and we have seen plenty of innovative examples around the world from retailers and suppliers looking to tap into the online and digital market further.
“By creating new products and services which offer personalisation, efficiency and speed, businesses are more likely to meet the dynamic and changing expectations of shoppers, and ultimately benefit from the growth opportunities the world of online grocery has to offer.”
Research released last year by Mintel revealed that millennials are now leading the online shopping revolution on the continent as they increasingly opt for stress-free shopping.
Source: FoodBev.com
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