Impact of COVID-19 on visit frequency to grocery stores Thailand 2020

According to a survey conducted from 24th to 26th March 2020, 75 percent of Thai respondents stated that they still visited grocery stores after the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a change in grocery shopping behavior among Thai consumers.

Consumer behavior during the pandemic

Although consumers are still visiting grocery stores, they preferred to buy items in bulk from supermarkets or hypermarkets to reduce the frequency of going grocery shopping and thus minimize the risk of infection. Consumers tend to buy certain food products more compared to before the pandemic such as instant noodles and dry foods, since they are convenient for emergency scenarios. Purchasing behavior has also been affected by the rise of internet use because of limited outdoor activities due to COVID-19 regulations.

Transition towards online grocery shopping

More consumers in Thailand are shopping for groceries online. Grocery stores have already been quick to implement their online platforms to meet this rising demand by launching online shopping websites and smartphone applications. Several brands are also offering contactless payment methods, even though Thai consumers largely preferred paying with cash.