Inflation also affects e-supermarket sales as consumers fill their e-cart with cheaper and smaller products. At the same time, retailers and suppliers, in an effort to limit the loss in profits due to increased production and operating costs, are also limiting offers in the online sales channel.

So, according to data released yesterday by Convert Group on the progress of sales of online supermarkets for the first half of 2022, consumers have reduced purchases of more expensive products, such as wines (a decrease of 30%), snacks (a decrease of 30%). %), packaged meat (-12%) and packaged cheese (-6%). On the other hand, sales of cheaper food products such as pasta (14%) and frozen ready meals (also up 14%) increased.

Consumers are filling their e-carts with cheaper and smaller products.

The Convert Group data also shows that in the first half of 2022, the online “cart” contained an average of 33.7 products, compared to 35.5 in the first half of 2021. The cost of the average “basket” is relatively stable and amounts to 77.90 euros, including VAT. , despite fewer products, which of course is due to higher prices, a 5% increase in the average price of products according to Convert Group.

Overall, e-supermarket sales are estimated at €134 million, including VAT, in the first half of 2022, down 5% from the corresponding half of 2021. Of course, in addition to inflation, it can be argued that the lifting of restrictive measures against the pandemic and the increase in physical store traffic also contributed to the decline in sales in the supermarket’s online channel. However, brick-and-mortar stores are also seeing significant declines in volume and sales due to inflationary pressures (for example, a 2.7% decline in food and beverage sales in the first half of 2022, according to NielsenIQ data).

A characteristic feature of the current situation in the industry is that even in electronic supermarkets there is a reduction in promotions. The average discount on offers in all product categories for the first half of this year was 37.9%. The share of products sold through promotions accounted for 35.9% of the total in the first half of 2022, down 16.5 percentage points compared to the first half of 2021. That is, fewer products were offered or for a shorter period of time. which also means fewer “spontaneous” purchases.