How COVID-19 has reshaped Latin America shopping habits

The pandemic overturned trends in Latam that had prevailed until 2019, as restrictions drove changes in shoppers’ channels of choice.
Get in touch
Latam-10-slides-2021
marcela botana
Marcela
Botana

Regional Account Director, Worldpanel Division

Get in touch

In this 10-slide report, we focus on the main changes in the shopping dynamics in Latam and the role played by different channels during the pandemic. Safety and reducing exposure to COVID-19 led to a decline in the number of channels used. The level of execution at the point of sale became more relevant than ever, as fewer points of contact with the shopper were available. For example, during Q2-Q4 2020 Peruvians shopped in 30% fewer channels as a way to reduce social interactions and protect their family’s safety

Proximity, both physical and digital, as well as the search for the best cost-benefit ratio, defined shoppers’ choice of shopping channels across Latam. Ecommerce, minimarkets and wholesalers were the big winners of 2020. The number of new digital shoppers alone grew by over 2 million in the second half of 2020 with the impact felt across the region:

  • Ecommerce reached almost 13% of Brazilian homes thanks to access via WhatsApp.
  • In Argentina, shopper gains came from the highest-risk population, i.e. seniors, but also ecommerce natives in other categories, including young people with high purchasing power.
  • During 2020, almost 18% of Colombian households had made at least one ecommerce purchase. Even when life returns to normal after COVID-19, 53% of digital shoppers said that they would continue to buy online in the future and 12% said that they would spend even more online

Not only has ecommerce evolved, but each country has shown certain characteristics that can be linked to the severity of their COVID-19 restrictions.

Download the full report to find out more.

Get in touch
Related solutions
We monitor CPG purchasing and consumption trends across retail channels, through the biggest consumer panels globally.
Understand how, when, where and why consumers are consuming beverages, to make good marketing decisions.
Purchase and consumer panels for personal care products, cosmetics and treatments.