How did your shopping habits change in the pandemic? This UBCO study found out

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way we shop, and a new study by the University of British Columbia Okanagan’s (UBCO) School of Engineering wanted to quantify that.

Dr. Mahmudur Fatmi, an assistant professor in the School of Engineering, told Kelowna10, he and his team sought to understand how behaviors evolved thanks to COVID-19 and if they will continue.

The study found that online grocery shopping has increased significantly and that those who used frequented online services are likely to spend less time going to the store.

“Online shopping, to be honest, has changed the way we used to shop and travel for many years,” he said. “These days, most of us have smart phones and access to the internet and as a result of that, we can do a lot of shopping online instead of going to the stores and doing physical interaction.”

Part of what Dr. Fatmi’s team wanted to explore is how online activities for things like grocery shopping complement or substitute each other.

Data collected from a transportation survey showed those who have a license and access to a vehicle are less likely to use an online grocery service or order take out. It also found that frequent transit users will more likely order online groceries and eat out.

“It means it will either increase travel demand or decrease demand. In this study, through the complementary and substitution effect, what we found is increased in online activity doesn’t mean a general decrease in in-store shopping,” Fatmi said.

He said more data needs to be collected in this area to update transportation plans and policy to incorporate the new ways people shop online and in-person.

Shopper income also weighed on results, with lower income earners preferring to shop in-store.

“This is interesting because it indicates a need for equity consideration in our future plans and policies,” he said. “Because with these stores going out of business these days, lower income folks might be facing challenges to access the required services and goods if they’re highly dependent on in-store shopping.”

Further studies are planned to include the effects of working from home before and after the pandemic, and online personal shopping habits.

The research was funded by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research council.