COVID-19 – shopper research focusing on availability and stockpiling – 30 Jul...
02 August 2021Lower availability concerns
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Despite the operational challenges due to increased number of employees being advised to...
Lower availability concerns
Despite the operational challenges due to increased number of employees being advised to self-isolate, there are sufficient food supplies within the system and the impact on availability has been limited to date.
In the latest shopper research conducted for IGD over this last weekend 30 July-01 August 2021, fewer shoppers are experiencing availability issues for some food and grocery categories.
Half (48%) of adults claim to have experienced shortages of some food and groceries in-store or online recently down from 55% 28-29 July. This is at a similar level to interviewing last weekend (50% 23-25 July).
There have been changes in claimed shortages by region. Concern is now highest in the South West (64% vs 47% 28-29 July) and Northern Ireland (57% vs 31%) Concern has declined particularly in London (47% vs 61%) and Yorkshire & Humberside (46% vs 60%)
Claimed shortages remain highest for fresh produce (17%) soft drinks (13%), bakery, dairy (11% each), household paper and chilled products (10% each)
Lower stockpiling
Fewer adults (27%) have recently felt the need to stock up or purchase more than they normally do, down from 33% 28-29 July. This is at a similar level to interviewing last weekend (28% 23-25 July) but is still relatively low (50% in January’21 and a high of 64% in April’20).
A third (33%) say they will or might stock up. While this is higher than current claimed stockpiling, it is lower than in Jan’21 (45%) and a high of 60% in March’20.
Stockpiling is highest among 18-24s (41%), those with children at home (35%) and those living in London (44%).
Category differences
The table above shows that top categories that have been stocked up (tins and packaged foods (9%), household paper (8%) hand sanitiser (7%), household products, alcohol and medicines (all 5%)) remain mainly different to the categories that shoppers claim to be in short supply.
Government action
To ensure food supply is protected the government has announced two schemes for the food and consumer goods industry to help resolve absence issues in England.
Daily contact testing will be rolled out to critical workplaces at supermarket depots and food manufacturers’ sites. It will comprise around 500 food supply chain sites in England. It will mean that workers who are alerted by the app or contacted by NHS Test and Trace will be able to continue working if they test negative, whether or not they are vaccinated. Further details are available by contacting DEFRA
Reasonable excuse for named individuals - In the small number of situations where the self-isolation of close contacts would result in serious disruption to critical services, a limited number of named workers may be able to leave self-isolation under specific controls for the purpose of undertaking critical work only. Further details are available here
DEFRA is keeping under review absence levels in other parts of the food supply chain.
Different arrangements apply in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
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