Online grocery shopping stalled in January as consumers cut back on food shopping online.
Grocery delivery sales rose 6.6 per cent during the month almost half the rate of the previous two months. Online food sales increased 12.6 per cent in December and 11.7 per cent in November.
The slower increase will be a disappointment for grocery retailers which have identified food as a key growth area. Last month Morrisons launched its online food service and Ocado is seeking a third distribution centre for its partnership with the Bradford-based chain.
The slowdown compares to a 27.1 per cent increase in food delivery sales in January last year.
Total retail sales during the month both on and offline otherwise performed well, increasing 4.4 per cent on the same month a year ago. Within that, grocery retailers have struggled to grow sales from stores.
Internet spending on non-food items increased 11.3 per cent, helped along by a good performance in clothing.
The grocery sector accounts for about half the sales in the retail industry but ordering and delivery is more complex and so fewer people have so far switched to doing the majority of their food shopping online.
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