With less than 1 in 50 people clicking products into a virtual supermarket trolley each month, Australians are buying alcohol online than groceries, the latest Roy Morgan Single Source e-commerce data shows.
The research firm reported that last year, just 1.9 percent of Australians (around 357,000) did some supermarket shopping online in an average four-week period. However, 2.2 percent (426,000) bought alcohol online.
“Intuitively you would think the supermarket industry—being more than five times the size of the alcohol industry—would have more online customers, but that is not the case. The grocery industry rakes in over $95 billion annually from around 12.5 million customers, compared with almost nine million alcohol buyers spending $17 billion a year.
The 35-49 year-olds are the most likely to buy alcohol online (3 percent), and are also more likely than the average Australian to buy alcohol over the internet (2.9 percent). Those aged 25-34 are the most likely to buy groceries online (3.2 percent) but just 1.8 percent of them buy alcohol. One in two online alcohol buyers are aged over 50, however this group comprises just 24 percent of online supermarket shoppers.
“Intuitively you would think the supermarket industry—being more than five times the size of the alcohol industry—would have more online customers, but that is not the case," said Warren Reid, Group Account Director – Consumer Products, Roy Morgan Research. "The grocery industry rakes in over USD95 billion annually from around 12.5 million customers, compared with almost nine million alcohol buyers spending USD17 billion a year."