Coronavirus (COVID-19) - Consumer sector impact - 04 August 2021

Globaldata's report on the impact of COVID-19 in the consumer sector includes detailed coverage on the consumer sector analysis, COVID-19 impact, and sector insight summaries among others.

COVID-19 has spread to over 198 countries with a total of more than 194 million confirmed cases and over 4 million deaths. The number of confirmed cases in the US is over 34 million, with cases again rising after a sustained period of decline. As in many other countries, most new cases are of the Delta variant, with hospitalizations also on the rise (97% of those admitted are unvaccinated). Total COVID-19 vaccine doses administered have now surpassed the total number of confirmed cases, with a total of over 2.9 billion single vaccine doses administered. China leads in the total number of vaccinations, while Canada leads amongst top economies in the percentage of the population that has received at least one dose of the vaccine.

View the detailed impact of COVID-19:

• Hiring prospects appear to have been gradually improving since April 2021
• Nearly 45% of employees report an increase in productivity during WFH
• Most offices will return to at least 50% capacity in the next six months
• 3 in 10 employees prefer to visit their office daily after the pandemic
• Technology will continue to change the way we work over the next three years
• Artificial intelligence is driving change in working practices
• Most respondents continue to work from home full-time

Access our sector insight:

• Behavioral changes including scratch-cooking and working from home will have long-term impacts on the consumer goods categories. Consumers continue to prioritize food staples with a long shelf life, and household care products, and will likely remain cautious with their spending in the future, inhibiting categories deemed ‘non-essential’

• Long-life products including canned, dried, and frozen foods will see the most growth this year attributable to their long shelf life in addition to the scratch-cooking trend. Meat substitute products are poised for consistent double-digit growth albeit from a small base as the category expands with new product innovations and new players entering the market

• Alcoholic drinks is returning to growth this year after being significantly impacted by the pandemic. The sector will benefit as restrictions on socializing and lockdown measures begin to ease, though consumers will remain cautious with both their social interactions and spending. The sector is anticipated to recover by 2023 with beer & cider leading the growth

Download our free report for more detailed insights on the impact of COVID-19 in the Consumer sector.