After the epidemic, the demand for online shopping in the UK has shown an upward trend

The epidemic has led to the booming e-commerce in many countries. Now that the epidemic has eased, many people have become accustomed to online shopping. Previous surveys have found that even if the policy is relaxed, 74% of Europeans will not reduce online shopping.

Restrictions have been gradually relaxed across the UK, and many physical stores have reopened, but local e-commerce sales are still growing. Restaurants have also slowly opened, but people are still willing to buy food online. Compared with last year, in the year ending in May, e-commerce delivery of food such as meal kits increased by 45%, and the health and personal care industry also increased by 24%. Other industries, such as pharmaceuticals and beverages, have also seen significant growth in retail.

For example, the demand for e-commerce product packaging, which is a very important part of logistics, is growing. In April this year, it increased by 11.7% compared with the same period last year. Overall, the annual demand increased by 35.6%.

Packaging company DS Smith is one of the beneficiaries. "Although last year was a difficult year, it was an opportunity for retailers. It is obvious that even if physical stores reopen, online shopping will still be an important part of our lives."

Online shopping not only provides convenience, but can even bring some spiritual satisfaction. According to a survey of 2,000 people, nearly a quarter of British people said that they use online shopping to cope with stress and loneliness in their lives.

Opportunities are always accompanied by risks, and the development of e-commerce has also provided more opportunities for SMS fraud. According to a survey by a British consumer rights organization, during the epidemic, fake delivery fraud has surged, and more than 60% of British people have received at least one such text message in the past year, usually with the content saying that the package was missed or that a fee needs to be paid. However, many British people also said that this would not be an obstacle for them to choose online shopping.

Overall, the UK's e-commerce market will continue to develop steadily after the epidemic ends.

U.K.

Cross-border e-commerce