Home News COVID - Consumer Trends
start portlet menu bar end portlet menu bar
May 2020

How COVID-19 is Impacting Consumer Spending

As the COVID-19 crisis continues to unfold, NPD is uniquely positioned to help you understand and react to changes as they happen. As the leading provider of sales tracking data covering stores and e-commerce, we report on what is actually occurring in the marketplace.

We will be updating this page frequently with data, expert analysis and other resources to help you navigate this challenging time.

Featured Insights

Weekly Data
Compared to last year, weekly U.S. general merchandise dollar sales increased 11%; restaurant chain transactions declined 14%.
See Chart
Weekly Data
Total U.S. retail purchasing traffic reached the pre-crisis baseline for the second week in a row.
See Chart
Thought Leadership
The Impact of COVID-19 on E-commerce: Staying Ahead of the Digital Divide
July 6, 2020
Thought Leadership
The Impact of COVID-19 on E-commerce: Staying Ahead of the Digital Divide
July 6, 2020
Press Release
Spending Gets More Personal as U.S. Consumers Get Out of Their Homes and Go Into Stores, Reports NPD
June 29, 2020
Press Release
U.S. Consumers Turn to More Indulgent Treats for Comfort During COVID Crisis and Make Sure They Have Plenty On Hand
June 30, 2020

Explore Content by Industry

Entertainment
Food
Retail
Tech
Thought Leadership
The Impact of COVID-19 on E-commerce: Staying Ahead of the Digital Divide
July 6, 2020
Infographics
Stocked Pantries, Empty Shelves: Food Behaviors After COVID-19
July 2, 2020
Infographics
Snacking While Staying at Home
July 2, 2020
Press Release
U.S. Consumers Turn to More Indulgent Treats for Comfort During COVID Crisis and Make Sure They Have Plenty On Hand
June 30, 2020
Press Release
Spending Gets More Personal as U.S. Consumers Get Out of Their Homes and Go Into Stores, Reports NPD
June 29, 2020
Infographics
Consumer Sentiment in Germany — COVID-19’s Impact on Food, Sports, Beauty, and Toys
June 26, 2020
Infographics
A Look at Crisis and Recovery in Foodservice
June 22, 2020
Press Release
U.S. Adult Fiction Sales Rise as COVID-19 Lockdowns Subside, The NPD Group Says
June 22, 2020
Press Release
Spikes in COVID-19 Cases in States Where Restaurant Dine-In Services Have Reopened Are Not Yet Impacting Restaurant Recovery
June 22, 2020
Press Release
Cycling Industry Sales Growth Accelerates in April, Up 75%, Generating an Unprecedented $1 Billion for the Month, According to NPD
June 16, 2020
Press Release
U.S. Restaurant Chain Transaction Declines Continue to Soften, Down -14% in Week Ending June 7
June 15, 2020
Press Release
DIY Projects and Recreational Purchases Spark Sales Growth for Select Automotive Products, Reports The NPD Group
June 12, 2020
Press Release
Nearly 70% of Grocery Shoppers Can Now Find the Foods They Want, While Some 30% Are Still Experiencing Out of Stocks
June 10, 2020
In The News
Industry Voices—Buffone: Retaining attention in the rip-roaring decade of streaming video
June 9, 2020
Press Release
Restaurant Chain Customer Transaction Declines Continue to Ease in Week Ending May 24, Down 18% Compared to Year Ago
June 1, 2020
Press Release
Apparel Consumers Have Moved From a Mode of Necessity and Comfort to One of Recreation, Reports NPD
May 28, 2020
Press Release
Rising Sales for Camping and RV Basics Combined with Lower Fuel Prices Suggest Consumers May Favor Road Trips this Summer
May 28, 2020
Thought Leadership
Lessons from China's Road to Retail Recovery
May 28, 2020
Videos
Consumers Are Seeking out Comfort Items During Quarantine
May 27, 2020
In The News
Bicycles Among Items In High Demand During Coronavirus Shutdown
May 27, 2020
Press Release
The U.S. Restaurant Industry Continues Its Slow Recovery in Week Ending May 17 As More States Reopen
May 26, 2020
Press Release
With Pantries Stocked, U.S. Consumers Are Now Focusing on Reducing Food Waste and Using Leftovers
May 26, 2020
Press Release
As More Areas of the U.S. Open Up, Travel Book Sales Start to Rebound, The NPD Group Says
May 26, 2020
Press Release
Remote Work Mandates Drive Productivity Hardware Sales in U.S. B2B Tech Indirect Market
May 22, 2020
Press Release
The NPD Group: Sales of Outdoor and Sports Toys Surge as Families Take Refuge in Their Backyards
May 19, 2020
Press Release
More States Reopening and a Mother’s Day Lift Help to Continue Week-Over-Week Improvements in U.S. Restaurant Transaction Declines in Week Ending May 10
May 18, 2020
Press Release
As COVID-19 Spread Hit the U.S., Healthcare Spending in the Reseller Channel Reached $908MM, according to NP
May 18, 2020
Press Release
Quarterly US Consumer Spend on Video Game Products Reached the Highest Total in US History in First Quarter of 2020
May 15, 2020
Press Release
Consumers Gear Up to Create More Comfort and Stress Relief At Home, Reports NPD
May 12, 2020
Press Release
U.S. Restaurant Chain Transaction Declines Improve for Three Consecutive Weeks, Declining 26% in Week Ending May 3 Compared to 32% Prior Week
May 11, 2020
Press Release
HIGHLIGHTS: Fashion Footwear Online Sales in the U.S. Showing Mixed Results, Reports NPD
May 8, 2020
Press Release
Sporting Goods, Home Fitness, and Cycling Sales Surge in the U.S., Reports The NPD Group
May 7, 2020
Press Release
While Total U.S. Restaurant Traffic Declines by 22% in March, Digital and Delivery Orders Jump by Over 60%
May 7, 2020
Press Release
Rise in Sales of Traditionally Carb-Centric Cooking Appliances Exposes Disruptions in Behavior, Reports NPD
May 6, 2020
Press Release
U.S. Restaurant Chain Transaction Declines Continue to Ease in Week Ending April 26
May 4, 2020
Press Release
Average Weekly Netflix Usage Rose 72% in the U.S. Since COVID-19 Pandemic Began, The NPD Group Says
May 4, 2020
In The News
‘Quarantinis,’ Bread Makers and Badminton: What’s Hot in Down Consumer Market
May 2, 2020
In The News
How coronavirus could alter the way we shop for clothes from now on
April 30, 2020
Thought Leadership
5 Ways We Passed Time While Social Distancing
April 27, 2020
Press Release
Coronavirus Relief Checks Help Ease U.S. Restaurant Transaction Declines in Week Ending April 19
April 27, 2020
Press Release
Working and Schooling from Home Prompts Sales Growth for Productivity Tools, Reports NPD
April 22, 2020
Press Release
First Quarter 2020 Sales of U.S. Video Games Boosted by Strong March Performance, According to The NPD Group
April 21, 2020
Press Release
U.S. Restaurant Chain Transactions Continue Downward Trend with A 43% Decline in Week Ending April 12
April 20, 2020
Press Release
With 97% of U.S. Restaurants Impacted by Mandated Dine-In Closures, Restaurant Customer Transactions Declined by 42% in Week Ending March 29
April 6, 2020
Press Release
At a Time of Social Distancing, U.S. Families Turn to Activity-Based Toys, Books, and Art Supplies for the Home, According to NPD
April 2, 2020
Press Release
U.S. Restaurant Chain Transactions Drop by 36% As Mandated Restaurant Dine-In Closures Take Effect
March 30, 2020
Press Release
Healthy Home Living Needs Drive Appliance Sales Gains Early in COVID-19 Crisis
March 30, 2020
Press Release
As The Realities of the COVID-19 Pandemic Sink in, U.S. Restaurant Customer Transactions Decline by 8 Percent in Week Ending March 15
March 23, 2020
Press Release
Home Life and Educational Books on the Rise as Americans Shelter at Home, The NPD Group Says
March 23, 2020
2020
A Message from Our CEO
March 18, 2020
Press Release
Hand Sanitizer Sales Spike in the U.S. Amid Coronavirus Outbreak, Reports NPD Group
March 10, 2020
Show More Show More Show More

U.S. Consumption Trends by Week

Compared to last year, U.S. general merchandise dollar sales increased 11% in the week ending June 27.

Source: The NPD Group/Point-of-Sale Early Indicator Report, NPD Universe, WE Jun 27, 2020
Industries Included: Apparel, Footwear, Auto Aftermarket, Watches, Housewares, Small Domestic Appliances, Toys, Video, Sports Accessories, Consumer Technology, Office Supplies, Prestige Beauty, Juvenile Products

U.S. restaurant chain transactions declined by 14% in the week ending June 28 compared to year ago.

Read More

Data Source: The NPD Group/CREST® Performance Alerts and ReCount®

Continued Growth at Retail

Retail sales remained strong in the week ending June 27 with 11% growth in dollar sales versus the prior year. Our industry experts note that while dollar sales were up, unit sales were flat compared to the prior year. This means less promotional selling and/or higher-priced items with a steady increase in the average sales price. We saw an expected dip after Father’s Day as week-over-week sales declined.

Shopping Activity Changes

In the week ending June 27, total retail purchasing traffic (number of online and in-store transactions) hit the pre-crisis baseline for the second week in a row.

Source: The NPD Group/Checkout, WE Jun 27, 2020

Industry Perspective

“Retailers will need to find creative ways to make it not only comfortable, but also exciting to shop again. A different kind of digital dialog that goes beyond traditional descriptions, addressing the touch, feel, and quality of a product, can be a powerful tool in making up for some of what is lost in the virtual shopping environment.”

Marshal Cohen, Chief Industry Advisor, Retail

“Consumers appear to be embracing brands they can trust. According to CivicScience, brand loyalty has gone up during the pandemic. I think consumers will begin to gravitate even more so to the tried-and-true brands they trust, and I expect that their purchases will become more pragmatic. For example, we may see a shift away from sport lifestyle footwear to a more versatile and multipurpose performance shoe.”

Matt Powell, Vice President, Senior Industry Advisor, Sports

“With summer quickly approaching and many parents expecting to continue working from home, keeping children busy will become even more of a priority. Parents will be looking for more solutions to keep their kids active and engaged during the summer months, which will undoubtedly bode well for the toy industry overall.”

Juli Lennett Vice President, Industry Advisor, Toys

“Among the most interesting behaviors we’re seeing is the rapid escalation of using technology to engage with restaurants. Going forward, we might expect a digital divide that sets apart restaurants with well-executed digital offerings and requires those without to turn to the newfound prowess of third-party platforms.”

David Portalatin, Vice President, Industry Advisor, Food

Like what you read?

Subscribe to get insights relevant to your industry each month, delivered to your inbox.

start portlet menu bar end portlet menu bar
Newsletter

Subscribe and get key market trends and insights relevant to your industry each month.

We will not sell your information. View privacy notice. | Cookie Settings

Follow Us

© 2020 The NPD Group, Inc.