ZAGREB, April 6, 2020 - The results of an analysis of consumer behaviour in Croatia during the coronavirus epidemic, conducted by the global data analytics company Nielsen, have shown that the highest sales growth was recorded in the second week of March and that there are six stages of consumer behaviour during this crisis.
The first stage is proactive health-minded buying, which started at the end of February.
The first case of the coronavirus infection in Croatia was confirmed on February 25, and already in the week from February 23 to February 29 there was a significant increase in the sales of certain products compared to the same week last year. For example, tinned fish had a sales increase of 159%, pasta of 114%, flour of 108%, and rice of 97%.
The highest sales growth occurred in the second week of March, from March 9 to March 15, when retail chains saw an average increase of 65% on the year in the shopping basket value.
According to Nielsen, shoppers then entered the second stage of consumer behaviour - pantry preparation.
In that period, the sales of flour rose by 410% on the year and the sales of rice by 301%. When it comes to drugstore products, soap saw a sales increase of 232%, and toilet paper of 162%.
Nielsen says that in the third week of March, from March 16 to March 22, sales growth rates slowed down due to a decline in store visits and operational restrictions in the retail sector.
The decline in store visits did not result in lower consumption, and the shopping basket value had an increase of 46% on the year. That was the third stage - quarantined living preparation.
Nielsen says that we are currently in the fifth stage, restricted living, which will be marked by demand for online shopping services and when everything will depend on high delivery standards.
The final, sixth, stage will be when people return to their daily routines and that will be living a new normal, Nielsen says, adding that consumers will focus more on their health and hygiene practices.
The concern shared by consumers in Croatia and around the world, as well as the effect of new behaviour will decrease over time, but it will not go away completely. Companies that recognise that as soon as possible and adapt to new needs will succeed, Nielsen said.
More coronavirus news can be found in the Lifestyle section.
