A year into the pandemic, FanFinders is exploring how parents are now shopping. Data from a survey of over 4,500 parents features in a new report titled 21 Insights. The report reveals 21 ways UK parents’ shopping habits and behaviours have changed, plus which changes are here to stay.

Key findings include parents’ use of ecommerce channels, which has increased steadily over the past year. This also extends to purchasing products they would usually buy in person; for instance, 80% of parents have recently bought products online that they previously only bought in-store.

Despite the easing of restrictions and vaccination rollout, 83% of parents anticipate they are more likely to shop online than in-store over the next 12 months.

However, one outcome of parents spending more time online is that many are making digital purchases more often. Plus, 89% expect to continue buying online more frequently over the next year.

The pandemic has also seen parents buying more toys for entertainment and to support early development. Equally, sustainability remains key, with environmental impact remaining part of the wider consumer conversation. In fact, 68% of parents plan on buying more from eco-friendly or sustainable brands.

Elsewhere, there are positive signs for subscriptions and loyalty clubs. Many businesses have introduced subscriptions and loyalty platforms during the pandemic, realising their longer-term benefits – and consumer interest remains strong.

Support for local communities and businesses has been one of the clear outcomes of the pandemic.

Looking ahead, 81% of parents plan on shopping more from local businesses. Plus, 76% plan on shopping more with independent retailers in 2021. It seems click and collect will also remain in demand, with 54% of parents looking to increase their use of the service.

Clear distinctions exist around which channels parents trust most. For example, 87% of parents trust emails from brands they want to hear from. This is in comparison to only 25% trusting sponsored posts on social and 12% trusting influencer endorsements.

Other notable trends include parents now spending more time on social platforms. Facebook is the most popular, with 54% spending the most time on this platform, followed by Instagram and WhatsApp.

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