Millennials are now leading the online grocery shopping revolution on the continent, as they increasingly opt for the stress-free and time saving convenience of online shopping, new research by Mintel states.
In the study it’s been revealed that 45% of Germans aged 16 to 24 have shopped online for groceries from a retailer with physical stores in the six months prior to the survey, compared to only 31% of Germans overall.
Across Europe, it seems a similar pattern is taking place with Spain experiencing 46% of consumers aged 16 to 24 have shopped online for groceries from a retailer with physical stores, compared to 40% of consumers overall. In Poland, 44% of 16 to 24 year olds, compared to 41% overall and in France 33%, compared to 29%.
When asked about the reasons for doing their grocery shopping online, avoiding stress seems to play a major role for Millennials. According to the research, 36% of German, 31% of French, 29% of Spanish and 28% of Italian shoppers aged 16 to 24 find online shopping less stressful than shopping in-store.
Regina Haydon food & drink analyst at Mintel said: “Outside of the UK market, Europe’s online grocery market is still in its infancy, but it is growing fast as young consumers increasingly opt for the stress-free and time saving convenience of online shopping. More and more retailers and speciality players are pushing into the channel to stay connected with the younger generation, promising a bright future for the online market at a time when connectivity and on-demand are playing an ever more important role in youth culture.
“Online grocery has had a tough start in Germany, which is owed in part to the country’s particularly high density of food stores and the dominance of discounters Aldi and Lidl, who have little incentive to push high-cost deliveries considering their already thin margins. However, consumers are growing accustomed to the benefits of digital in other retail settings and are beginning to expect them in grocery as well.
“While Europeans are gradually embracing online grocery shopping, there are still a significant number of consumers across major European markets who prefer to shop the way they are used to. The freshness of the products and lack of ability to choose products themselves is an important factor behind consumers not choosing online grocery shopping. This needs to be addressed by retailers by putting extra efforts into delivering the freshest products and possibly cutting delivery time.”
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