Online Grocery Market Size By Category (Dairy & Breakfast Products, Fresh Produce, Snacks & Beverages, Meat & Seafood, Staple & Cooking Essentials), By Purchaser Type (One Time, Subscriber), By Delivery Type (Home Delivery, Click & Collect), By End-Use (Individual, Distributors), Industry Analysis Report, Regional Outlook, Growth Potential, Competitive Market Share & Forecast, 2020 – 2026

Online Grocery Market Size

Online Grocery Market size surpassed USD 190 billion in 2019 and is estimated to expand at around 28% CAGR between 2020 and 2026. Rising urbanization and the flourishing e-commerce sector in developing economies is a key factor driving the industry growth.
 

Online retailers are developing an efficient supply chain to reduce delivery timelines, which will positively influence the market demand. For instance, in June 2020, Paytm Mall, an e-commerce firm, announced its plan to implement same-day hyperlocal delivery of groceries to diversify its offerings to customers. The strategy has enabled it to deliver grocery essentials quickly to consumers in Tier-II and Tier-III cities across India during the COVID-19 lockdown period.
 

Online grocery market players have observed a sudden increase in their quarterly revenue in FY2020 on account of the temporary closure of several brick & mortar grocery stores. In April 2020, BigBasket, an online grocery store in India, reported 84% growth in the number of new customers compared to pre-COVID-19, while the retention rate grew by around 60%.
 

Changing consumer behavior related to grocery shopping has encouraged market leaders to offer a cost-effective online experience, thus expanding their offerings and customer loyalty. However, diminishing inventory & restock ability and the lack of operational manufacturing facilities may limit industry expansion.
 

Online Grocery Market Analysis

The fresh produce category in the UK online grocery market is projected to grow at over 32% CAGR through 2026. Around 40% of consumers in the country have tried online shopping with home delivery for fresh groceries. The convenience and easy accessibility to high-quality fresh produce are the key considerations among consumers for choosing online grocery stores. This has encouraged companies to develop differentiated business models to improve customer satisfaction and remain competitive in the market.
 

With the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, leading grocery retailers in the UK are expanding their delivery capacity to fulfill the growing demand of consumers. For instance, in September 2020, J Sainsbury PLC included 1,000 additional online delivery vans to handle 700,000 online grocery orders in a week. Other retailers, such as Tesco PLC, Asda Stores Ltd., and Morrisons, have expanded delivery times to serve more customers and increase market share in the short-term.

The click & collect model has become a prerequisite for shoppers demanding convenience in picking up their goods. The model involves consumers ordering products online and then picking them up at a pre-determined location. According to Doddle Parcel Services Ltd., in March 2019, out of 2,000 U.S. consumers surveyed, 68% preferred click & collect delivery method due to faster and cheaper access to orders. The click & collect method provides complete control to the consumers over the delivery of their products along with the provision of various options for collection, fulfillment, and eliminating unprofessional delivery services.

Cost-effectiveness is another primary factor for the adoption of the click & collect model among consumers as it offers zero or minimal added delivery costs. It enables consumers to check the quality of the product, pick up orders at their convenience, and save shipping costs. The model has also been beneficial to retailers, helping them to eliminate the need of hiring delivery persons or renting vehicles, and pay a one-time cost to set up the click & collect system.

The subscription-based purchase model segment is poised to register a growth of more than 30% through 2026. Subscription model allows customers to purchase groceries without any interruption and receive a specific product regularly. The benefit of flexibility and anytime cancellation provides easy opt-in and opt-out options to consumers. It also allows consumers to receive home deliveries at a specific period without paying additional delivery charges. Online grocery market participants are increasingly using the subscription-based delivery service model to drive revenue and enable flexible billing options.
 

Europe online grocery market accounted for above 30% share in 2019. The presence of leading retail grocery chains and the growing popularity of online shopping in countries such as the UK, Germany, Spain, France, and Italy are driving the regional market growth. The COVID-19 pandemic is providing a significant short-term boost to the industry. According to Waitrose & Partners, a brand of supermarkets, out of 2,000 consumers in the UK, 60% have shopped online for groceries since the pandemic with 40% citing convenience as the primary reason.
 

Furthermore, the increasing focus of government administrations & financial organizations on promoting the usage of digital payment methods to contain the virus spread is likely to boost the market revenue. In March 2020, the European Banking Authority (EBA) directed payment firms to adopt contactless payments to reduce the risk of spreading the virus.
 

Online Grocery Market Share

The online grocery industry is highly competitive with the presence of multiple small and large players across the globe. Companies are engaged in acquisitions and partnerships to gain a competitive edge over other companies through expansion in new territories.
 

The key online grocery market participants include

• Koninklijke Ahold Delhaize N.V.
• mySupermarket Limited
• AmazonFresh, LLC
• Safeway, Inc.
• NetGrocer.com, Inc.
• My Brands Inc.
• ShopFoodEx
• Fresh Direct, LLC
• Schwan Food Company
• Walmart Stores, Inc.

These companies are investing in R&D activities to adopt innovative technologies and speed up delivery time for customers.

 

Impact of COVID-19 pandemic

The unprecedented outbreak of COVID-19 has emerged as a major factor for individuals shifting from brick and mortar stores to online grocery stores. According to a survey by Chicory, a New York-based digital shopper marketing platform, in October 2020, there were 18% more online grocery users compared to pre-COVID times.
 

In 2019, individual users in the Canada accounted for over 65% of the market revenue share. Consumers transitioning is compelling grocers to focus on improving their business strategies.

The online grocery market research report includes in-depth coverage of the industry with estimates & forecast in terms of revenue in USD from 2016 to 2026 for the following segments:

Click here to Buy Section of this Report

Market, By Category

• Dairy and breakfast products
• Fresh Produce
• Snacks and beverages
• Meat and seafood
• Staple and cooking essentials
• Others

Market, By Purchaser Type

• One Time
• Subscriber

Market, By Delivery Type

• Home delivery
• Click and collect

Market, By End-Use

• Individual
• Distributors

The above information has been provided for the following regions and countries:

• North America
  • U.S.
  • Canada
• Europe
  • UK
  • Germany
  • France
  • Italy
  • Spain
  • Russia
• Asia Pacific
  • China
  • India
  • Japan
  • South Korea
  • South East Asia
• Latin America
  • Brazil
  • Mexico
  • Argentina
• MEA
  • GCC
  • South Africa