Grocery apps are increasing in popularity throughout the US with more than 18 million people using the apps at least monthly in 2018. Consumer behaviour and digital marketing specialist eMarketer predicts that over one in five smartphone users will use grocery apps to order food by next year, a growth of approximately 25 percent.
The mobile grocery apps allow users to order perishable goods and fresh produce on demand.
“Shoppers are becoming more comfortable with ordering online in general, and grocery is a part of that. A key hurdle, traditionally, for ordering fresh produce and other perishable items online has been delivery time and the desire to hand-select produce and meat. Retailers have been able to transcend these barriers with click-and-collect models of delivery: order online, pick up in-store,” said eMarketer senior analyst Patricia Orsini.
“While the percentage of online grocery sales remains small, it is one of the fastest-growing online categories. While no one expects the number of brick-and-mortar grocery stores to seriously decline, the options consumers will have to purchase groceries will increase. Retailers recognise this. They are improving their online offerings in order to retain market share.”
