Discover your next big idea at PACK EXPO Las Vegas this September
Experience a breakthrough in packaging & processing and transform your business with solutions from 2,300 suppliers spanning all industries.
REGISTER NOW & SAVE

Opinion: As COVID-19 Precipitates Big Consumer Shift, Omnichannel Adapts

In the wake of COVID-19, expect a new landscape to emerge that reveals a shift in the balance between the channels that constitute "omnichannel." An as-of-yet unknown portion of the increased reliance on e-comm is likely to be permanent.

Headshot

This early shift was a legislated one, done for the benefit of humanity to save lives in the face of a crisis. It was hardly the result of a sudden fundamental shift in thinking. But the synthetic, forced shift may have natural, cultural staying power, at least according to Abe Eshkenazi, CEO, the Association for Supply Chain Management

“As we relax a lot of the stay-at-home requirements, you’ll see those individuals—ones who previously didn’t use delivery services or curbside pick-up, and otherwise wouldn’t have tried it—say, ‘You know what? This is okay. I don’t have a problem with getting my fruits and my vegetables delivered to me. I don’t have to self-select in an aisle, I’m comfortable with someone else doing it for me.’”

There are immediate, short-term challenges, namely the number of delivery drivers that are available, or the safety of the individuals that are picking the fruit that need to be addressed. But there will be a shift in demand to a consumer as individuals who never would have made the change without being forced to do so. The percentages are what’s a critical, in terms of how much we’ll move to a home-based environment versus how much will go back to what we can describe as pre-COVID-19.
It’s unknown what percentage of people will make the turn from their previous mix of foodservice/commercial dining and retail to e-commerce. But the point, Eshkenazi says, is that the percentage is far greater than zero. There will be some conversion, and big brands like PepsiCo. Inc., are preparing for it. The brand owner recently rolled out PantryShop.com and Snack.com, e-comm plays that replace more traditional food channels, both foodservice and retail. 

Is your palletizing solution leaving money on the floor?
Discover which palletizing technology—robotic, conventional, or hybrid—will maximize your packaging line efficiency while minimizing long-term costs in this comprehensive analysis.
Read More
Is your palletizing solution leaving money on the floor?
Annual Outlook Report: Automation & Robotics
What's in store for CPGs in 2025 and beyond? <i>Packaging World</i> editors explore the survey responses from 118 brand owners, CPG, and FMCG <i>Packaging World</i> readers for its new Annual Outlook Report.
Download
Annual Outlook Report: Automation & Robotics