Search volume reaches 337%, sales of summer snacks soar after lockdown is relaxed

British online grocery platform Ocado has seen a surge in demand for summer goods such as Pimms, BBQ and Aperol over the past month as shoppers look forward to an easing of lockdown restrictions.

According to real-time data from Ocado, as the weather starts to warm up, searches for Pimms are up 337%, searches for canapes are up 142% and searches for garden snacks are up 96%.

Searches for burgers increased 53% as barbecues and picnics gained popularity, while the general return to the office also drove an increase in ready-to-eat snacks and easy-to-prepare foods, such as fresh stir-fry pastas, soups, ready meals and breakfast bars.

Favourite items included the Alpen High Jaffa Cake Cereal Cart and Dell Ugo Tomato Mozzarella Ravioli, while microwaveable rice received an additional 6,000 searches and is expected to continue to grow.

According to Ocado, M&S’s recently expanded range was also popular, with items such as M&S Cocktail Crepes and M&S Tiger Prawns and Dim Sum Selection topping shopping lists throughout the month, suggesting a return to traditional favourites as friends and family gather together.

Aperol sales also grew 337 per cent as more summer-themed alcoholic drinks gained popularity .

Ocado Chief Customer Officer Laura Harricks said: "As the UK's only pure online grocery retailer, we can understand customer needs in real time." Ocado has been welcomed by British consumers and its business has grown rapidly.

It is reported that its revenue soared 39.7% to £599 million in the three months ending February 28. The average weekly order volume also increased by 2.5% to 329,000. And due to the lockdown and the "seasonal force" during the festive period , its average order volume reached £147.

“As lockdown eased this week, there has been a noticeable shift in the popularity of certain products and we understand that our customers are enjoying their new freedoms,” Mr Harricks said.

Ocado also announced that its delivery capacity has been significantly increased following stock shortages early in the pandemic , with the grocer opening a new delivery centre in Bristol. “We look forward to welcoming new customers to ocado.com as our capacity continues to increase and more delivery opportunities open up,” added Harricks.

U.K.

Online Grocery

Summer snacks