Supermarket sales figures on the way Covid has caused major changes in the way we live, from barbecues with lager fuel and home cooking roasts replacing pub nights and ready meals, to lower sales of make-up, deodorant and even toothbrushes mark people letting themselves go a little.
With coronavirus restrictions often banning food and nights out with friends, Britons added an extra £ 2.5bn of beer, wine, spirits and meat to their trolleys as the pandemic “shifted consumer buying habits -usual use ”, according to Top Grocer magazine’s annual Top Survey Results.
After years when similar exercises have reversed healthier lifestyle trends such as the rise of the plant-based diet, the 2020 star player was weaker, with sales rising more than a fifth, or more than £ 800m . Supermarkets also raised a further £ 1bn of cigarettes and tobacco rolling at the checkout.
The study, in collaboration with market research firm Nielsen, confirmed “the impact of the virus on shopping habits and the health of the nation,” said Grocer editor Adam Leyland. “The increase in tobacco sales this year has been a dramatic move, and while some of these additional sales reflect a lack of overseas travel and tax-free purchases, it is a significant change over the years. before. ”
The crisis in the UK pub and restaurant trade has been exacerbated by supermarket sales. November was the biggest month ever for grocery sales, with buyers spending nearly £ 11bn as autumn locks made people stay at home.
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San Miguel was the winner of the lager wholesale surge in 2020, with sales up more than 60%. Wine and spirits also benefited significantly, by £ 717m and £ 567m, in the 52 weeks to 5 September followed by the study.
Mexican lager brand Corona has managed to counter the issue, with sales jumping 40%.
Reducing social life and switching to homework spent an extra £ 440m on sausages, burgers and chicken for home cooking. This was compared to 2019 when sales of fresh meat, especially beef, suffered. The figures show the closure of pubs, restaurants and schools, but as Britons found themselves without any excuse for not cooking, there was a £ 74m hole in the sale of finished food.
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Rachel White, Nielsen’s director of sales information for the UK and Ireland, said the pandemic had “shifted consumer buying habits to reality.” With more free time at home, consumers moved away from chilled ready-to-eat food options and instead focused on creating their own dining experience at home, cooking with fresh ingredients and ‘enjoy a drink at home rather than in the pub.’
At the same time, with no one for a good idea at work or when they were out communicating socially, governments took personal care of a back seat. Sales of cosmetics, hair products, toothbrushes and deodorant fell by nearly £ 300m in sales.
The cosmetic corridor was the biggest loser, with £ 180m sold away as isolated work combined with face mask rules led to people abandoning their normal habits. Sales of deodorants and toothbrushes were down 10%.
Similarly, sales of consumer-friendly products at the time, such as bottled water and chewing gum, also fell sharply, with no buyers going anywhere this year.