COVID-19 lockdowns accelerated a shift to online shopping that was already well underway. According to the Adobe Digital Economy Index, consumers now spend an average of $6.7 billion online each month on groceries, up from $3.1 billion pre-pandemic. Adobe expects the category to reach an annual figure of $85 billion in 2022.
This doubling in demand coincides with supply chain turbulence due to labor supply issues, rising inflation, and geopolitical crises such as the war in Ukraine. It is a challenging landscape for retailers and suppliers alike.