May sets a new record in online grocery
Month by month, e-commerce continues to see record gains in grocery.
Consultancy Brick Meets Click released data for the month of May, demonstrating an increase in sales of 24% over the month of April, which already broke records set in March.
For the latest numbers, Brick Meets Click fielded a survey with Mercatus from May 20-22, gauging the impact of COVID-19 on consumer behavior, and found the total number of online grocery orders increased 18% on a month-over-month basis from 62.5 million in April to 73.5 million in May. The sales for May amounted to $6.6 billion, up 24% from April’s $5.3 billion, already a record-setting number over March.
“COVID-19 has accelerated online grocery adoption at a rate the industry hadn’t expected to see for years,” said Sylvain Perrier, president and CEO, Mercatus, who was featured in Store Brands’ recent supply chain report. “The online surge may level off slightly as various states strive to return to ‘normal.’ However, what has changed in shoppers’ eyes is the realization of the immediate benefits of online grocery shopping.”
Household penetration slightly inclined to 33% in May from 31% in April, as approximately 43 million customers shopped online for groceries during the previous 30-day period. Brick Meets Click suggested an increase in capacity, making it easier for people to secure time slots for pick up and delivery, compared to maybe tougher access the previous month.
The research showed that active households in May placed an average of 1.7 online grocery orders for either delivery or pickup, up from 1.6 online orders in April, and the average order value climbed nearly 6% to $90 in May, an increase of almost $5 compared to April.
Barrington, Ill.-based Brick Meets Click focuses on digital and was founded by Bill Bishop, a long-time thought leader in retail, who was just named one of the newest inductees into the Private Label Hall of Fame by the Private Label Manufacturers Association.
Mercatus and Brick Meets Click are hosting a webinar to discuss the research on June 16.