A splurge in ready to eat foods amid Second COVID-19 surge in India

Since mid-February, packaged foods have witnessed a spike of up to 80%, frozen foods up to 500% and packaged milk and milk products 150%, according to a Grofers spokesperson; demand for preventive care supplies such as masks and sanitisers shoot up.

People in India are ordering more groceries and staples online, particularly in categories such as ready-to-eat and frozen foods, as key metros have locked down to contain the spread of Coronavirus.

The Second surge of COVID-19 has been deadlier as the virus rips through the middle class and rural population, which had largely escaped unharmed last year."Since mid-February, categories like packaged foods, i.e. ready to eat and ready to cook, have witnessed a spike of up to 80 percent, frozen foods up to 500 percent, and packaged milk, and milk products 150 percent, said a spokesperson of online grocery firm, Grofers, adding that the ``the demand for grocery and staples has increased by 98 percent."

There has also been a 25 percent increase in the average ticket size of the purchases, said the company, which indicates two things. One, people are dependent on online commerce more than ever and are resorting to it for things they did not purchase online earlier. Two, consumers are also buying more in terms of quantity, given that they are spending more time indoors.