A new report from Placer.AI, shows consumers are not heading to the grocery store as much in 2021, compared to last year.
The analytics firm reports a 28 percent drop in store visits the week of March 8th, 2020 just days before Texas and the nation entered a prolonged lock-down.
One researcher says, 2021 "is going to be mired in the unique challenge of trying to make sense of certain sectors in a world where year-over-year data could be heavily misleading."
Visits to leading grocers like Albertsons or Kroger during the week of March 8th were down 34.6 percent and 20.3 percent, respectively.
Yet, when looking at the equivalent week in 2019, the picture shifts dramatically, with Albertsons down just 0.3 percent.
While COVID’s health effects seem to be dissipating, the economic consequences will last far longer, as researchers say grocery stores still provide a cost-conscious alternative to eating out.