The impact of COVID-19 has been hitting Thailand hard since the start of the pandemic in early 2020, and this has undeniably had an effect on shopper behaviour. Government policies imposing lockdowns and curfews meant people were staying at home more. A new trend emerged as a result: the ‘at home economy’. Consumers were visiting stores less often, leading to increased online shopping, and food delivery grew fast as restaurants closed for dine-in. This accelerated a shift in shopping behaviour in Thailand, with the greatest impact on FMCG.
Looking at Food products, when the number of COVID-19 cases rose buyers tended to stock up or change out-of-home consumption to in-home consumption. However, this proved to be a short-term trend: once cases dropped, or lockdown was eased, purchase behaviour returned to normal. This switch was most marked within Consumable Foods – and as the largest sub-sector within Food, it had a major impact on value spend within the sector as a whole. In contrast, as illustrated in the chart, the line relating to Food Preparation products indicates that this trend is growing, implying that consumers are cooking at home more than in previous years.
Before we explore specific Food trends in Thailand, it’s important to understand the broader market context first. Macro trends such as shifting demographics lead to changes in shopper demand and purchase behaviour, which have an impact on everything from branding to pack sizes.
