Spanish consumers won’t repeat stockpiling habits in case of new lockdown

Data from the third wave of the report ‘Consumption in and out of the home during and after COVID-19’, compiled by AECOC Shopperview and 40dB consulting, suggests that Spanish consumers feel better prepared for new outbreaks of COVID-19 and trust the supply capacity of supermarkets. Only 27% of those surveyed say they will buy non-perishable products to store at home, while 67% say that this time they will not be afraid of store shortages. Head of commercial and marketing strategy at AECOC, Rosario Pedrosa, said,

“Consumers saw during the days prior to the state of alarm how the supply of supermarkets and hypermarkets was always guaranteed, despite experiencing exceptional situations, with the stockpiling of the first days and the unforeseen growth of some categories. So it is foreseeable that, in the event of a new lockdown, the reaction of the buyers will be more rational and predictable.”

80% of consumers believe that stores should maintain safety protocols until there is a vaccine, and most will maintain some habits that were acquired during the first confinement: 68% continue to shop less frequently, while 63% try to spend as little time as possible in stores.

According to the report, 93% of Spaniards believe that there will be a new outbreak of coronavirus this year. While 49% expect the outbreaks to be small in scale and not require further lockdowns, 44% are anticipating more home confinements. 56.6% of Spaniards are still afraid of contracting the disease and prefer to stay at home. These attitudes condition both their purchasing behaviour and their summer plans, with half not planning to go on holiday. This has resulted in 62.2% of consumers reducing their travel budget and 64.4% cutting expenditure on culture.