Article
Online Grocery Shopping by the Senior Demographic (60+) in North India: Driving Factors behind Adoption vs. Resistance
The transition to digital grocery shopping has instigated a revolution, allowing orders to be made with a single click. Groceries are a fundamental necessity for every individual, and the senior citizens are no exception to it. Plenty of studies have been published on online grocery shopping where the primary focus is on the behavioural patterns of the younger generation. However, insufficient research has been performed on the behaviour of elderly adults aged 60 and above, hence impacting the adoption of online grocery shopping. The study examines the factors and the barriers affecting the preferences and choices when it comes to selecting the mode of buying groceries—online grocery purchases versus visiting local Kirana stores. The study employs the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) to assess the responses of 358 participants from North India. The data collected revealed that around 43 percent of the senior citizens have procured groceries online. Ease of getting delivered at home, ease of accessibility, protection from the Covid-19 outbreak and other communicable diseases (due to their weak immune system), and ten-minute delivery were a few of the motivational factors; however, a majority of the people have again opted for the offline route after the descent of the pandemic. As per this study, the tactile effect of freshly picked items, lower prices, and social engagement with the personal touch of the owners/assistants are the primary reasons for visiting the local grocery stores. The study provides insights to address the resistance posed due to the offline Kirana store shopping of the senior citizens, which can further be catered to by the retailers to increase the popularity of online grocery shopping among this overlooked demographic.