Clothes and drinks prove popular sales in lockdown
● Aldi launches click and collect trial to maintain pressure on rivals
Clothes and drinks are among the most popular items Britons ordered online during lockdown, new research suggests.
More than six in ten (64 p er cent) of UK adults have received deliveries to update their wardrobe since 23 March – and 43 per cent have b ought soft drinks, wine or beer, according to figures from Royal Mail.
The data comes after it was previously revealed that consumers are switching from the high street to their laptop, with 45 per cent of people receiving more packages over the pandemic than they were beforehand.
Skincare and make-up were also popular purchases, with 26 percent and 18 percent of buyers investing in them respectively.
Meanwhile, one in ten of the 2,000 people surveyed bought Lego, as schools stayed closed for as long as six months.
Some chose to fill their time with home improvements, with 20 percent of people buying paint for the house in addition to 9 per cent who got their hands on sanding paper or masking tape.
And with gyms closed and exercise classes cancelled, keep -fit equipment was also popular – with exercise bikes, yoga mats, and dumb bells being purchased by around 5 per cent of consumers.
Alongside a third of people expecting to be spending more time at home in the future, eight in ten think their rate of online shopping will continue at its lockdown level or increase in the months to come.
Mark Street, head of campaign sat Royal Mail, said: “Receiving an online delivery from one of our postmen or women continues to be a highlight of the day for many of our customers and we believe that this will continue far beyond the boundaries of lockdown.”
Yesterday Aldi announced it has expanded into click and collect services for the first time.
The supermarket chain has launched a trial for the service, which allows customers to place orders online before collecting from a store, at one branch in the Midlands.
However, it said it now plans to extend the programme to more customers in “the coming weeks”.
It said the trial has seen store staff take shopping to the cars of customers who ordered online, in line with social distancing rules.
Aldi and Lidl had been steadily growing their share of the UK grocer y market until the pandemic but have now seen their growth out paced by rivals with significantly larger online operations.