The pandemic accelerated online food and beverage growth, but alcohol was an outlier

Article by Blake Droesch | Jun 22, 2023

Before the pandemic, online alcohol sales rates were in close proportion to the rest of food and beverage. But the pandemic-induced digital grocery boom accelerated the pace of ecommerce penetration among food and beverage sales. For many reasons, alcohol did not keep up with this larger category trend.
The digital grocery boom was born out of necessity, then shifted to convenience. Digital grocery adoption soared during the pandemic when consumers were spending more time at home and avoiding shopping in stores. Since then, many have continued to use these platforms for their easy ordering and fulfillment options.
Alcohol is inherently different from core food and beverage products. For most consumers, alcohol isn’t viewed as a necessity. The conveniences of digital grocery don’t apply to alcohol buying like they do for frequently purchased essential items. Online alcohol sales are also highly regulated in the US.