A new survey conducted by YouGov and commissioned by e.fundamentals has found that over a quarter of households across the country make the vast majority of their retail purchases via safe shopping online, according to NetImpreative.

45 per cent of respondents said that they had started making weekly orders for groceries via the internet in the wake of the recent coronavirus lockdown, indicating that this is one again an aspect that has changed habits significantly in a short period of time.

With 2.7 million households embracing e-commerce as their primary method for placing orders, retailers are having to face up to the fact that these changes are likely to be permanent.

Analysts also revealed that people with higher salaries and those aged 55 and over were far more likely to have made the leap to online shopping as their main way of getting goods. This suggests that it is the convenience and safety promised by online orders that makes them more appealing rather than the ability to save money thorough safe shopping online that gives web-based retail the edge at the moment.

It is not just shopping habits that have shifted in the wake of the ongoing pandemic but also brand loyalties, with the report finding that people have been pushed to experiment with retailers that they had never used before in their move to make more purchases via the web.

52 per cent said that they had mixed up their brand choices during lockdown, and three-quarters said that they would happily change to a different brand if their usual choice was not available at the point of purchase.

This gives retailers some cause for optimism, particularly if they are not as well established as major outlets and can thus hope to capitalise on customers who are looking for greener pastures.