Hong Kong delivery platforms hit a sweet spot with ‘instant’ grocery services as coronavirus changes shopping habits
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Instant grocery services have become the newest growth market for popular delivery apps, as the coronavirus pandemic has made Hongkongers seek the convenience of shopping at their fingertips.
Up to 73 per cent of consumers have used online platforms to buy groceries more often than before the pandemic, according to a survey by global tax consultancy KPMG. It polled 12,334 consumers worldwide, including 1,000 in Hong Kong, between May and September last year.
One Hongkonger won over by instant grocery services is Kanas Chiu, who uses an app to order everything from soy sauce to dishwashing soap whenever she runs out. She said she appreciates being able to stay home taking care of her daughter while waiting for the delivery man.
“I use it almost every day,” said the housewife in her 30s who lives in Sham Shui Po, in Kowloon. “Since we don’t have a domestic helper and sometimes I don’t have time to go out for groceries, I count on these delivery apps.”
Chiu said when she shopped online for groceries in the past, it always meant waiting until a specific date and time for the delivery. At the height of the pandemic, it could take a week or more.
She likes that the instant grocery services offer same-day delivery, with some platforms promising to come in under 30 minutes.