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Online shopping and local retailers have benefited from shifting consumer behaviour during the pandemic, according to new research by Barclaycard Payments.
In its data research, Barclaycard partnered with futurist Tom Cheesewright to discover what these shifts mean for the future of British retail.
It found that online grocery shopping has shown consistent growth over the past year, increasing by 115.2% in February alone, compared to the same period last year.
In addition, it revealed that 64% of consumers in the UK have chosen to shop closer to home, witn nine in ten saying they will continue to support local retailers after the pandemic.
Cheesewright said: “Echoes of this pandemic will be heard long after lockdown is lifted through a sustained shift in our buying behaviours. Changes we expected to happen over a decade have been condensed into a year, leading us to ask: what’s next?
“The trend towards online and concierge services look set to continue, with shoppers seeking ever greater convenience and clawing back time to spend elsewhere. Retailers that can strip friction from their sales process while making us feel special will continue to succeed.”
He added: “Meanwhile, we continue to seek a greater connection with our local community, going against the all-digital trend. Suburban stores that have survived lockdown look set to thrive when it lifts.”
