26.03.2020

How have the lockdown measures impacted the behavior of Belgian shoppers in week 12?

How does COVID-19 affect emotions and actions?

The first measures installed during the week of 13/3-16/3 and the growing number of infected individuals had already increased the general level of concern amongst the Belgian household population.

However, the virus spread evolution and lockdown measures announced by the Belgian government brought the concern to another level.

During the period of 20/3-24/3, 34% of the population became very worried about the virus outbreak while this number was only 14% the week before. 

The share of households with little or no concern has become a minority, representing now only a combined 15%. 

The Belgian population continued to adapt its behavior following the measures announced. 

Social distancing is key to fight against the virus. It was taken much more seriously with 78% of the population avoiding social contact and 64% avoiding public places. 

Following the hygiene measures to limit the spread also remained a top priority for Belgians, with close to 80% washing their hands more. 

With the virus continuing its evolution in the country and the lockdown measures expected to be maintained longer than first announced, the emotional impact and concerns of the population will continue to evolve in the coming weeks. 

How did the measures impact FMCG shopping behavior of Belgian households? 

The lockdown announcement led to the fact that Belgian households adapted their shopping habits even more. The weekly frequency returned to normal but stockpiling continued, with the average basket size being higher by +21.7% versus average. 

The national security council is expected to evaluate the situation in the coming days which could lead to additional or new measures being taken in order to contain the coronavirus spread on our territory or just keep the situation as it is. As the population will continue to adapt itself to this exceptional situation, the purchase behavior is expected to evolve further in the coming weeks. We will keep you updated on the latest evolutions.

Download here the full article with graphs in pdf.

For more information, please get in touch with your GfK Account Manager.