Amid the uncertainty of the COVID-19 (coronavirus) outbreak, U.S. consumers have drastically changed the way they shop by placing self-care above all else.
According to a report published by IRI, the idea of self-care is becoming even more mainstream during the pandemic. As the United States emerges from the COVID-19 outbreak, IRI predicts that this increased focus on self-care will become the new normal.
The report, which was created by leveraging data and analytics from various proprietary retail, market, consumer and shopper assets, stated the following:
- After spiking mid-March, growth rates decelerated for health, home and beauty in the week of March 22, 2020, suggesting some slowing of non-foods stock-up.
- Only personal care, cosmetics and general groceries declined in average basket sales when compared to the same period one year ago (the week ending March 22, 2019).
- IRI stated that the self-care segment's major drivers are self-image, convenience, lower health care costs, aging, illness prevention and stress reduction.
- When it comes to self-care products, hand sanitizers saw a 107.3% change in buyers and a 103.3% change in spending; liquid hand soap saw a 97.3% change in buyers and a 29.3% change in spending; and toothpaste saw a 22.7% change in buyers and a 8.8% change in spending.
- Liquid hand soap saw a dollar sales change 198% when compared to the same period one year ago (the week ending March 22, 2019).