Groceries are one of the top categories that Millennials feel comfortable purchasing online without seeing first in person. It’s also true that Millennials show an above-average likelihood to order groceries online, according to a recent Morning Consult report [download page]: 26% in January reported having done so at least once a week during the previous month, compared to 16% of US adults (18+) overall.
Other demographic groups that are more likely to have ordered online at least once a week during the previous month include those with children in the household (28%) and those with income of at least $100k (21%).
The report notes that these figures are largely unchanged from a year earlier, suggesting that “even as inflation has reshaped so many other habits… e-commerce has found its loyal users.”
There are various options to get groceries, from delivery to curbside pickup and in-store pickup. With regards to grocery delivery, some 18% of adults surveyed said they used the option to get groceries in January. That figure rose to a high of 24% among Millennials, almost twice the share of Baby Boomers (13%).
Likewise, adults with children in the household are 50% more likely than those without kids at home to have ordered groceries for delivery, at 24% and 16%, respectively.
Interestingly, income level did not show a correlation with likelihood to order groceries for delivery, with the $100k+ group the least likely to have done so. There was, however, a correlation between income level and likelihood to order for both curbside pickup and in-store pickup. Additionally, the age and parenting gap for these options was wider than for delivery.
Separately, 42% of consumers surveyed said that they used an app for grocery shopping in January, rising to 52% of Gen Zers and an equal 52% of Millennials. Propensity to use an app for grocery shopping was also higher among the $100k+ income bracket (47%) as well as among those with children at home (56%). Finally, those living in urban areas (50%) were considerably more likely than those living in suburban (39%) and rural (38%) areas to have used an app for grocery shopping.
For more, download the report here.
About the Data: The results are based on a survey of 2,200 US adults (18+).
