Page 48 - Retail World Tob - May 2020

HOUSEHOLD Retail World looks at the performance of the in-demand household category amid the COVID-19 pandemic. BTy Nicholas Rider. use of household disinfectants and cleaners, with 45 per cent reporting they’d done so in response to the outbreak.” In terms of sales, Nielsen Homescan research finds that the volume sales of essential grocery categories, such as household products, more than doubled in the four weeks ending March 22, compared with the same period last year, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. RB commits $1m in products to Meals on Wheels The Australian arm of Reckitt Benckiser (RB) has pledged $1 million in disinfectant products as a donation he “majority” of Australians, according to Mintel research, are making changes in response to the virus crisis, with increased hand washing, use of hand sanitiser, and avoidance of public places representing the biggest behaviour shifts. “Within a week of restrictions,” Mintel Trends Manager APAC Elysha Young said, “we saw personal hygiene behaviours increase, with 80 per cent \\\\\\\[of survey respondents\\\\\\\] saying they washed their hands more often and 75 per cent reporting they used hand sanitiser more often, up from 64 per cent and 55 per cent respectively. “Consumers are also increasing their 46 RETAIL WORLD MAY, 2020 to Meals on Wheels Australia. According to RB, the donation will bolster the efforts of the not-for- profit organisation that delivers more than 14.8 million meals a year to the country’s elderly and has reported a significant increase in demand as a result of COVID-19. RB says it is committed to creating a cleaner, healthier world, pledging “Consumers are increasing their use of household disinfectants and cleaners, with 45 per cent reporting they’d done so in response to the outbreak.”