Pandemic seen to transform consumer behavior for good

The COVID-19 pandemic is likely to alter consumer behavior permanently and cause lasting structural changes to the consumer goods and retail industries, according to findings of an Accenture survey of more than 3,000 consumers in 15 countries across five continents.

The survey, which was conducted between April 2 and April 6, after many countries had implemented stay-at-home orders, found that consumers have already begun shifting their purchasing priorities.

For instance, consumers overall said they were currently buying more personal hygiene and cleaning products, as well as canned and fresh foods than they had been two weeks prior — while purchasing fewer fashion, beauty and consumer electronics items.

More importantly, however, the findings indicate that many of the changes in consumer behavior are likely to continue long after the pandemic.

In addition, the crisis is also causing consumers to more seriously consider the health and environmental impacts of their shopping choices.

Sixty percent of respondents are spending more time on selfcare and mental well-being, with about six in 10 consumers (57 percent) saying they have started exercising more at home.

While sixty-four percent of consumers said they’re focusing more on limiting food waste and will likely continue to do so going forward.

Half or 50 percent of consumers said they’re shopping more health-consciously and will likely to continue to do so; and

Forty-five percent of consumers said they’re making more sustainable choices when shopping and will likely continue to do so.

“The scale of the changes identified in our findings clearly suggests that this is a long-term shift,” said Oliver Wright, managing director and head of Accenture’s global Consumer Goods practice.

“While we have been seeing these trends for some time, what’s surprising is the scale and pace — compressing into a matter of weeks changes that would likely have taken years. The new consumer behavior and consumption is expected to outlast the pandemic, stretching far beyond 18 months and possibly for much of the current decade,” he added.

“The pandemic is likely to produce a more sustainable, healthier era of consumption over the next 10 years, making consumers think more about balancing what they buy and how they spend their time with global issues of sustainability — suggesting a healthier human habitation of the planet,” Wright said.

“At the same time, it’s a wakeup call for companies to ensure they have the agility and capability to be relevant to consumers and customers — with a portfolio of products and services that match shifting purchasing patterns — not just today, but post-pandemic as well,” he further noted.

Accenture commissioned a survey to explore how global consumer priorities, purchasing decisions and behavioral patterns are shifting in the wake of COVID-19. The survey of 3,074 consumers in 15 markets — Australia, Brazil, China, Canada, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Mexico, South Korea, Spain, United Arab Emirates, the U.K. and the U.S. — was conducted online between April 2 and April 6.

Accenture plans to conduct follow-up surveys in the coming weeks and months.