Grocery shopping online in China booms due to virus outbreak

Grocery shopping online is poised for explosive growth in China, with more than half consumers saying they are buying more online even after stores reopen.

According to research by GlobalData, consumers in the region got used to purchasing online during the Covid-19 lockdown and the habit has stuck.

The data shows 56 percent of Chinese consumers are now grocery shopping online more frequently than before the pandemic hit.

“The impact of Covid-19 will leave a permanent mark on how we shop for groceries,” said Globaldata retail analyst Thomas Brereton, “with demand for home fulfillment soaring around the world as consumers follow the ‘stay at home’ message from many governments.

“With a population of 1.4 billion, the potential value growth in the Chinese online grocery market is phenomenal.”

Chinese food delivery service Meituan – founded in 2010 – is an example of the trend, recently hitting a US$100 billion valuation.