Many British adults have still to “click” with online grocery shopping in spite of its convenient image, according to new research.
Almost half the population, 45%, do not see the point of food shopping online, and more than two in three (69%) think they might as well do all their shopping in-store if a top-up visit is needed, a Mintel survey has shown.
The research indicated around one in three adults (35%) shop online for food but just one in nine (11%) do so regularly or exclusively.
The majority of consumers, 83%, said they still like to see and touch fresh produce before buying, and 66% of shoppers prefer not to buy fresh food online because they are concerned about use-by dates.
The findings were drawn from an online survey in July this year of 1,000 UK consumers aged 16 and over.
Mintel senior retail analyst Kiti Soininen said: “Our research reveals food is an emotional issue for today’s consumers.
“For many shoppers, touching, feeling and even smelling food before purchase to select shopping tailored to their own specific requirements is preferable over the online shopping route.
“In addition, nearly three quarters of consumers often choose products because they look interesting in-store, so online grocery retailers could benefit from encouraging such impulse shopping online.”
The online grocery market has grown 134% since 2005 and is estimated to reach £4.4 billion this year.
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