As Coronavirus cases rise and more restrictions are put in place, consumers are being forced to adapt to a new reality. Currently, American consumers are spending an average of nearly $180 per shopping trip for Coronavirus-related supplies. Our March study around the impact the virus has had on shopping behavior revealed a significant shift in how different generations are changing their shopping behavior to prepare for potential weeks or months in isolation -particularly Baby Boomers, the generation at the highest risk.
At the time of our first study in late February, Baby Boomers had been slower to change behavior based on Coronavirus fears than other generations. However, our recent data show that this is changing. While Millennials reported the greatest impact on purchase decisions (80 percent, a 48 percent increase from our previous survey fielded in late February), Baby Boomers have now aligned behavior more with their younger counterparts with 73 percent saying the same, a 121 percent increase from the prior study.