50 Statistics Showing The Lasting Impact Of COVID-19 On Consumers

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To say the world is dramatically different now than it was at the beginning of the year is an understatement. A global pandemic, along with natural disasters and other forms of unrest, has impacted nearly every part of everyday life. In order to build the best experiences, brands must understand their customers—especially how much they’ve changed this year and what they’re thinking about the future. 

These 50 statistics show just how much COVID-19 has impacted consumers and how the world is forever changed. 

Shifting Mindsets and Priorities

40% of U.S. consumers are becoming more mindful of where they spend their money. (McKinsey) 

80% of consumers feel more or as connected to their communities than they did before the pandemic. (Accenture) 

88% of consumers expect their community connections to stay intact long after the virus is contained. (Accenture) 

69% of consumers say COVID-19 has made them more focused on managing their mental health and well-being. (PwC) 

55% of consumers will prioritize more time with family after the virus has been contained. (Accenture) 

80% of Americans have yet to return to their pre-COVID-19 levels of comfort about everyday out-of-the-house activities. (McKinsey) 

87% of U.S. consumers prefer to shop at stores that have touchless or robust self-checkout options. (Shekel) 

79% of consumers say they will continue to use self-checkout or increase their usage after COVID-19. (McKinsey) 

60% of customers and employees say being constantly able to see a business’s cleaning efforts is the most important part of the experience. (Deloitte) 

84% of dining and hotel guests want businesses to have a certification of cleanliness from a trusted authority. (Deloitte)

Shopping Goes Online

E-commerce as a whole is projected to grow by nearly 20% in 2020. (IBM) 

36% of consumers now shop online weekly, an increase from 28% before the pandemic. (Selligent) 

Globally, 49% of consumers shop online more now than they did pre-COVID-19. (Bazaarvoice) 

62% of U.S. shoppers say they shop more online now than they did before the pandemic. (Bazaarvoice) 

The amount spent online with U.S. retailers in Q2 was 44.4% higher than the same period in 2019. (U.S. Department of Commerce) 

One of the biggest areas of e-commerce growth was over-the-counter medicine, which is expected to see a 44% increase in customers shopping online in 2020. (McKinsey) 

91% of shoppers say they miss shopping in stores. (Incisiv) 

Only 5% of shoppers plan to try a product in store in the next six months. (Incisiv) 

The number of orders placed online and picked up in store grew 208% between April 1 and 20, 2020 compared to a year ago. (Adobe) 

79% of consumers say contactless store pickup is very important to them. (Incisiv)

Grocery’s Moment In The Spotlight

During the pandemic, 79% of consumers have bought groceries online, a jump from 19% a year ago. (Inmar) 

U.S. online grocery sales increased from $1.2 billion in August 2019 to $7.2 billion in June 2020. (Mercatus) 

The average U.S. household monthly grocery bill was $525 in March 2020, an increase of 30% from March 2019. (U.S. Census) 

10% of Americans now shop for groceries at least three times a week, down from 19% pre-COVID-19. (McKinsey) 

78% of consumers have made a change in where they shop for food. (FMI) 

The average number of grocery stores consumers visit each week dropped from 4.4 before the pandemic to 2.8. (McKinsey) 

15% of consumers say they now avoid the grocery stores where they typically shop. (FMI) 

36% of consumers have made a change in who shops for food because of COVID-19. (FMI) 

Produce sales are up 11% from 2019 levels. (Produce Marketing Association) 

Natural grocery product sales are up 78% from 2019. (IRI) 

Organic produce sales in the U.S. grew 10x in March compared to January and February. (Organic Produce Network)

Changed Spending Habits

31% of U.S. consumers are changing to less expensive products to save money. (McKinsey) 

41% of consumers are delaying making large purchases. (Deloitte) 

21% of U.S. consumers are researching brand and product choices before buying. (McKinsey)

 73% of U.S. consumers have changed stores, brands or the way they shop. (McKinsey) 

25% of consumers have tried a new private-label brand. (McKinsey) 

Of consumers who have tried different brands, 73% intend to continue using those new brands. (McKinsey) 

45% of global consumers say they’re shopping more on their smartphone since COVID-19 began. (PwC) 

14% of consumers are turning to websites they’ve never previously visited to buy the basics. (McKinsey) 

36% of global consumers are spending more on entertainment and media since the pandemic began. (PwC) 

Consumers are reporting a 25% decrease in net holiday spending intent. (McKinsey) 

Spending on international travel and other tourist spending is down 80%. (McKinsey)

After The Pandemic

39% of consumers say they will purchase more in the future from brands that responded well to the crisis. (Deloitte) 

39% of U.S. consumers said they are more likely to buy from local or independent brands after the pandemic. (GlobalWebIndex)

34% of consumers say they will purchase more locally sourced products going forward, even if they cost more. (Deloitte) 

43% of consumers say they are willing to spend more on convenience in the future. (Deloitte) 

32% of U.S. adults anticipate they will go out to eat less often after the pandemic. (Technomic)

55% of consumers plan to limit their use of ride-sharing services over the next three months. (Deloitte) 

31% of global consumers anticipate they will visit movie theaters less often after the pandemic. (GlobalWebIndex) 

61% of U.S. consumers are prioritizing purchasing a vacation for after the pandemic. (GlobalWebIndex)

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Article first published on forbes.com.

Blake Morgan is a customer experience futurist, keynote speaker and author of the bestselling book The Customer Of The Future. 

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