4 ways that COVID-19 has changed Canadians’ online behaviours

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted all Canadians, in one way or another. We hope that you’ve been able to stay healthy and safe.  

How is the social distancing that health authorities are calling for impacting the places you visit, and the purchases you make?  

Are you finding creative ways to work out at home, given that gyms, yoga studios, and the like have shut their doors across the country? 

woman stretching at home

via Giphy

Are you ordering products online for the first timeor more often than you usually do, because you are no longer able to visit malls and local shops (and have you noticed that some of the companies you order from are waiving shipping fees)? 

man typing rapidly on his computer

via Giphy

To reduce the number of trips you make outside of your home, have you begun ordering from meal kit delivery services, which provide you with fresh ingredients to cook meals at home? 

woman happily preparing something she received in a meal kit

via Giphy

In partnership with lg2, we surveyed over 2,000 Canadian LEO members in the first week of April 2020 to explore how the COVID-19 crisis is impacting their behaviour (mainly online). 

Here’s some of what we learned! 

  • Nearly one-in-five (18%) Canadians say they’ve adopted at least one new online behaviour for the first time since the crisis.  
  • In general, younger Canadians are more likely to have changed their shopping habits during the crisis, while older Canadians have remained more faithful to their old habits. 
  • With their consumer world turned upside down since the beginning of the crisis, more and more people are buying locally. Canadians say they are buying local products more often, or for the first time.  
  • Food and health are at the heart of Canadians’ concerns: cooking with basic ingredients is the fastest-growing habit across the country. Looking for new recipe ideas? Read our article about the LEO Team’s favourite recipes here to get some inspiration! 

Did you adopt any new behaviours during the pandemic? If so, tell us what you are doing differently in the comments section!

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