Half of Brits say they can’t stop online shopping in lockdown
With after-work drinks cancelled and weekend brunches postponed, Brits have turned to online shopping to fill their time and give themselves something to do.
In a survey of 1,500 UK adults by price comparison site Idealo, nearly half (48%) of Brits said online shopping has made them feel happier during the COVID-19 lockdown, with almost a third (31%) admitting to making a purchase every single week.
What’s more, nearly half said they have become “obsessed” with buying things online since lockdown began on 21 March, while 39% admitted to buying something they “wouldn’t normally buy.”
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A third of those surveyed said they have been buying items for their home, with home and garden being the most common category of products people admitted they wouldn’t usually buy from.
Fashion and accessories are also one of the top areas where people are buying items they wouldn’t usually purchase, followed by electronics, sweets and nibbles, and toys and gaming.
More than a third (35%) of Brits admitted they are continually buying things online to keep them entertained at home.
This could be why electronics (57%), gaming and toys (44%) and sports and outdoor (36%) have been some of the most popular product categories during lockdown.
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Despite more than half (56%) in the study saying they don’t see the point of buying fashion at the moment, Nike (NKE), adidas (ADDYY), ASOS (ASOS) and Boohoo (BOO.L) are in the top 10 of the most popular brands over the last three months, the research found.
“After noticing huge spikes in certain product categories, we were eager to delve into this further and find out what UK shoppers are thinking,” said Idealo’s Katy Philips.
The results of our data and survey show a picture of Brits turning online for a boost of happiness with many admitting to purchasing products they wouldn’t usually.
“Lockdown has forced us to alter our shopping habits — a change we predict will become the norm as consumers enjoy the ease of online ordering and price comparison.”
