How will COVID-19 impact consumer behavior in 2022?

The COVID-19 pandemic transformed the poultry industry – accelerating certain consumer trends, impacting poultry prices and supply chains and so much more. What lies ahead for 2022?

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Shopper with mask safely buying for groceries due to coronavirus pandemic in grocery store.COVID-19 shopping for meat and animal products.Quarantine preparation.Panic buying and stockpiling.
Shopper with mask safely buying for groceries due to coronavirus pandemic in grocery store.COVID-19 shopping for meat and animal products.Quarantine preparation.Panic buying and stockpiling.
Eldar Nurkovic | Bigstock.com

The COVID-19 pandemic transformed the poultry industry – accelerating certain consumer trends, impacting poultry prices and supply chains and so much more. What lies ahead for 2022?

“Many of the behaviors that we adopted during the pandemic are here to stay. Not just because we’re facing another variant of coronavirus, but because habits have been formed,” Joan Driggs, vice president, content and thought leadership, IRI, said during What’s Ahead in 2022?.

At home consumption, e-commerce flourish

These trends include at home consumption and e-commerce. 

Many people now permanently work from home, which expanded the number of meal occasions prepared, and home improvement projects mean that consumers are now savvier about creating celebrations at home. Foodservice and other food away from home is slowly rebounding, but a full recovery isn’t expected until 2022.

E-commerce is another trend that gained popularity during COVID-19. Consumers experimented with click-and-collect and home delivery options – many for the first time ever.

“Moving ahead, it’s going to be super challenging for brands and retailers to figure out what that balance is for meeting consumer demand, both in store and digitally,” explained Driggs.

Supply shortages could continue into 2022

Retailers shouldn’t expect to see empty shelves like in March 2020, but supply issues and product shortages are expected to continue into the first half of 2022, she said.

Consumer income to decrease in 2022

Consumer income in the U.S. saw a significant lift in 2020 and 2021, thanks in part to stimulus money from the government. However, IRI predicts that income will drop considerably in the first half of 2022 due to labor shortages, reduced stimulus and increased costs that get passed along to the consumer.

“When you look at price sensitivity throughout the pandemic, we didn’t really care. If we could get our hands on it, we snapped it up,” Driggs said. “Now, we’re having to weigh those purchases a little more carefully.”

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