Shoppers spend less at Ocado after offices reopen and Covid measures ease
Ocado customers are spending less through the online grocery delivery service as pandemic habits return to normal.
In an eight week trading update, Ocado said its average basket size came in at £124, 15 per cent lower than last year. This was reflective of changing shopper behaviours as customers return to physical supermarkets and offices.
The grocer’s active customer numbers grew 31 per cent year-on-year to 835,000.
Shares tumbled more than seven per cent in early trading on Thursday morning.
Revenue took a hit of 5.7 per cent in the quarter, against a four per cent fall in UK grocery market sales.
Ocado boss Melanie Smith said the grocer’s “thoughts today, and every day,” were with the Ukrainian people amid conflict with Russia.
She added” The last quarter has been encouraging for Ocado Retail despite the clearly evident challenges the industry and consumers are facing.
“Of course, as we have seen since the end of Covid restrictions, the value of the average basket and shape of the week continue to normalise as we return towards the rhythm of our pre-Covid lives.”