The PwC’s 11th consecutive Global Consumer Insights Survey is the results of two surveys made before and after the pandemic emergency. It is focused on urban consumer purchasing habits and behaviours, and how global disruption has forced the acceleration of a more digital way of life. According to the data collected by PwC, 45% of global consumers say healthcare is one of the top three reasons for living in a city, 69% are more focused on mental health and well being, 43% expect businesses to be accountable for their environmental impact.
The acceleration of consumer trends and behavior that was already underway prior to the COVID-19 outbreak has taken another leap forward and will spark consumer-facing companies and retailers to reinvent the way they do business, according to a new PwC report.
“The survey results – it is explained in the report presentation – reveal that the pandemic and the ensuing social distancing measures put in place have led to fundamental changes in how consumers work, eat, communicate, and take care of their health.”
Social distancing measures put in place because of the coronavirus have affected consumers in all aspects of life, including how they purchase groceries. For non-food items, prior to the pandemic in-store shopping was still dominant compared to on-line shopping with 47% of consumers saying they shopped at brick-and-mortar stores daily or weekly compared to shopping via mobile phones (30%), computers (28%) and smart assistants (15%). Since then, on-line shopping for non-food items has seen a substantial increase (mobile phone 45%; computer 41%; tablet (33%), the trend is especially pronounced in China and the Middle East, with 60% and 58% of respondents respectively saying they’ve started shopping more on their mobile phones.
Sustainability and social responsibility remain matter of great attention by consumers, even when they choose brands and products.
«While certain trends have been on the upswing for quite some time, our research shows that the pandemic has sharpened consumers’ desire for transparency, sustainability and convenience. – stated Steve Barr, Global Consumer Markets Leader, PwC US.- The companies that will reap the most rewards are the ones that have established trust with the consumer, invested in a seamless and frictionless end-to-end customer purchase journey and prioritized the consumers’ health and safety».
