Typically, consumers’ supermarket shopping habits are stable and slow to change. When people do dramatically change their behavior around buying food and beverages, it’s usually driven by a major life event such as having a baby, moving to a new town, or changing jobs.
The Covid-19 crisis is, of course, changing everyone’s life at once — and anyone who’s been to a grocery store can bear witness to the industry’s whiplash. During one week in March, U.S. grocery store sales spiked 77% over the previous year, while restaurant sales declined by 66%. In late April, grocery sales were still running 8% above average, with restaurants down 48%.
