Potential of online food shopping

Peer-reviewed | Manuscript received: March 19, 2015 | Revision accepted: July 20, 2015

An opportunity to relieve mothers’ everyday life food routines?

Introduction

Private households are nowadays confronted with a variety of services offering information on food and its purchase. In this regard online food shopping and purchasing options are expanding. Customers first choose between different providers and product ranges on the internet, select the food they want by clicking on it and fill a virtual shopping basket [1]. They can then choose to have the products delivered to their home. If they choose a drive-through supermarket (drive-through), they can request that the desired products are packed in the shop and left for self-collection [2].

The question arises as to whether and to what extent both distribution channels are used for food provision. To answer this question, nine questions from the project on Ernährungskompetenz in Familien (EFA) – Eine empirische Untersuchung¹ (Nutritional Competence in Families [EFA] – An Empirical Study) have been evaluated, which related to the use of online food ordering with home delivery and the hypothetical use of self-collection at a drivethrough. Asking this in the context of nutritional competence² was relevant, based on the assumption that competent use of these distribution channels as part of food planning and purchasing could help to relieve the everyday life food routines on the responsible person.

¹ The study was carried out in the town and district of Gießen under the scientific supervision of Prof. Dr Ingrid-Ute Leonhäuser, Professorship of Nutrition Education and Consumer Behaviour at Justus Liebig Universität Giessen. The project was funded by the Stifterverband für die Deutsche Wissenschaft e. V. from July 2012 to July 2014.
² Nutritional Competence is “the ability to implement theoretical knowledge and practical skills in everyday nutrition appropriately – e.g. in terms of healthy or sustainable nutrition.” [3]. In the above-mentioned study it refers to all areas of food provision, i.e. the acquisition of information on food, shopping, organization and planning of meals, preparation and storage [4].

Summary

The food retail industry is establishing an increasing number of online food shopping services with delivery or collection at a drive-through supermarket. This study aimed to find out whether both distribution channels are recognized and competently used by private households. To this end, a regional case study surveyed German-speaking mothers with at least one child of primary school age, as they still see themselves as primarily responsible for the nutritional care of their family. Results show significant correlations between the use of online food shopping with home delivery and level of education, occupation and level of household income. Non-users of both distribution channels believe they lack the skills required to order food online. Recommended actions include communicating the advantages of ordering food online and promoting the skills required.

Keywords: everyday life food routines, online food order, drive-through supermarket, internet skills, purchasing behavior, mothers 

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