Nielsen has identified key consumer behaviors in light of the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. As the virus began to spread globally, Nielsen recorded record sales in personal health and safety items including hand sanitizer and medical masks, but also identified a rise in broader consumer behaviors and purchases.
Nielsen identified six consumer behavior thresholds of the COVID-19 concern, driven by news cycles:
- Proactive health-minded buying — a rising interest in products that help one maintain personal health
- Reactive health management — an uptick in purchase of products necessary for virus containment, such as hand sanitizers and gloves
- Pantry preparation — increase in purchase of shelf-stable foods, a spike in store visits, more items bought at one time
- Quarantined living preparation — increase in online shopping, decrease in store visits
- Restricted living — restricted shopping both in-person and online, prices rising as limited availability impacts them in some cases
- Living a new normal — people return to normal lives but have new health-cautious routines. Permanent shifts in supply chain, e-commerce and hygiene practices.
Nielsen found purchase behaviors were based on the news cycle.
Read Nielsen’s full report here.
