SuperValu sales provide insight into lockdown shopping trends

circumnavigate these changing consumer habits is one of the many areas of concern for retailers as we emerge from lockdown. Vincent Jennings, CEO of the CSNA, noted that the wage subsidy scheme is working well for retailers. But convenience stores, who often deal with a high turnover of staff, could be affected if this is tapered off too soon, as it only applies to employees who came onto the payroll prior to February 29, 2020. There is also a mistaken belief that every grocery retailer has profited from the crisis, Jennings pointed out. “The loss of delis in our stores has been phenomenal,” he said. “Grocery and alcohol are at lower margins, so our profitability has been shaved.” Forecourts have also been victims of the ‘new normal’, according to Buckley. “Take a busy forecourt store near a school. They’re not selling any petrol, they’ve closed down their deli, their sandwich bar. These are all areas that would have contributed to profitability. Staying open because they are a community service, selling some dry groceries, milk and bread,

Symbol groups like Mace have introduced and extended delivery services for customers during the Covid-19 pandemic. Tara Buckley, Director General of RGDATA.

SUPERVALU has revealed a breakdown of the products and categories that have been selling strongly in its stores since the lockdown began. These figures paint a unique picture of how staying at home has influenced shopper habits across Ireland. The lockdown has seen the public focus spend more time in the kitchen: this has included a focus on broader culinary activity, with SuperValu reporting an 80% increase in olive oil sales. Meanwhile, the need to clean up more often in the kitchen saw a 60% rise in sales of dishwasher tablets. With the majority of people working remotely since March, there has been renewed interest in baking and sales in this category have risen, most notably with flour products up 200%. There has also been a considerable uptake in demand for other related products such as toppings, mini marshmallows and core baking ingredients like raising agents, flavourings and food colourings. With many cafés closed, consumers are still looking for their coffee fix and SuperValu statistics show a 100% increase in coffee pod sales. Also, as families relax together by watching streamed series and box-sets, there has been a 60% increase in sharing chocolate bars in SuperValu stores. However, shoppers are also craving healthy food, and SuperValu’s statistics show that a banana is being sold every second across its stores. SuperValu shoppers have also become green-fingered, with plants and flowers sales rising by 200%. The food retailer’s data also show that personal hygiene has been of paramount importance to shoppers during the lockdown, with soap sales up by 400% and due to Covid-19, SuperValu has sold enough toilet paper to go around the world eight times. “SuperValu’s statistics provide a unique snapshot of Irish shopping habits during the lockdown,” noted Edel Russell, Innovation & Consumer Director, SuperValu. “It’s clear that people have been focusing on home cooking, baking and gardening, and are spending more quality family time together. Our strong roots in communities across the country means that we are committed to serving vulnerable groups throughout the Covid-19 crisis and our trusted retailer network continues to provide these essential supports, with home delivery growth equivalent to opening 12 new SuperValu stores.”

SuperValu sales provide insight into lockdown shopping trends

won’t sustain the business in the long term.” The role of retail during the crisis has been hampered, in some circumstances, by aggressive customers. Last month, Eugene Scally, who owns Scally’s SuperValu in Clonakilty described the treatment of his staff by some customers as “upsetting” and “frightening”. A butcher shop in Ranelagh went as far as barring rude or aggressive customers, who were complaining about queues due to social distancing guidelines. “There is a concern that some members of the public are taking things for granted,” continued Jennings. “But customers who cause trouble are a minority. There are probably more people who are better mannered now than they ever were. They are thanking staff for serving them.” Grocery retailers should be proud of all they have achieved during the crisis, according to representative groups. At the start of the crisis, there was little guidance. “Grocery retailers came up with ideas like perspex screens at the tills, signage on the floor, organised queuing and sanitation, cleaning schedules,” said Buckley. “A lot of them changed the way they operate their business, so there’s no shelf-stacking when customers come to the store.” In fact, retailers have created a workable blueprint for other areas of retail that will soon emerge from lockdown. “Because the grocery sector traded on and stayed open during the crisis, they are well placed to manage social distancing, all the health and safety obligations that come with managing a retail outlet during a pandemic,” said Dillon. “We are seeing the other parts of the retail sector looking to grocery and the lessons they have learned. There has been widespread recognition of the significant work that was done by grocery in a short period of time. They completely re-orientated how to do business.”

Vincent Jennings, CEO, CSNA.

Edel Russell, Innovation & Consumer Director, SuperValu.