Since the lockdown started, 41% of consumers have been shopping at their local, independent convenience stores more regularly than they did before.
This is according to a new paper ‘Shopping in a coronavirus world: How retail is evolving’ from comparison website finder.com, that highlights the winners and losers of the lockdown.
The research suggests that the rediscovered appreciation of independent stores is here to stay, with 36% of adults surveyed saying they plan to use their local stores more often after lockdown.
The primary reasons shoppers are visiting their local shops is to avoid the crowds in supermarkets (54%) and the queues outside them (54%). Consumers are also motivated to support their local businesses during these times of financial hardship, making this the second most popular reason (46%).
Other reasons included not wanting to travel as far (39%), to find items that are sold out in the supermarkets (32%), and being unable to book online delivery slots from a supermarket (24%).
However, the study found that not everyone has gone local for their lockdown shopping, with one in seven (14%) people using them less over the past few weeks. 19% of those surveyed who are currently using them more also believe that they will return to using them less frequently after the lockdown.
The research also discovered that Generation X has been using local shops more than any other generation during the lockdown, with 45% shopping in these stores more. Similarly, 42% of generation X intend to use them more when the lockdown is ended.
Commenting on the findings, Georgia-Rose Johnson, shopping expert at finder.com, said: “The fact that local, independent shops appear to be experiencing a boom in both demand and support during the lockdown will play a vital role in keeping local economies alive.
“It is an opportunity for these local shops to remind the community of the value and convenience they bring, and it seems this is being reciprocated by the high numbers of shoppers who want to support local business.
“A lot of people intend to continue giving regular custom to local shops, but the acid test will be when life eventually goes back to normal. Will this trend for local shopping continue or will the majority revert to relying on supermarkets?”
