A generational divide in grocery delivery
As with everything digital, younger generations are driving the shift to e-commerce in various sectors, and grocery delivery is no exception. There is a significant amount of variation in online grocery shopping habits across generations. As the most tech-savvy generation, Millennial consumers have the highest share of online grocery shoppers in the United States, at a staggering 77 percent in 2022. In comparison, just over half of Baby Boomers resort to digital channels when it comes to food shopping. Similar generational divides are observed in France, Germany, and Sweden.While an increasing share of consumers is more likely than ever to try online grocery shopping, the majority of U.S. shoppers for instance still prefer to do their grocery shopping in physical stores. In a survey conducted in 2023, just over half of surveyed Italian shoppers reported their preference to see the products before buying them as the main reason they did not purchase groceries online.
