Tissue sales jump following release of Adele’s ‘Easy On Me’, Ocado report says
Online grocer looks at how pop culture influenced consumer spending in its first Trends of the Year report
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Your support makes all the difference.Adele’s hit single “Easy On Me” appears to have moved the nation to tears when it was released on 15 October, as Ocado saw tissue sales increase that month.
The online supermarket released its first trends report on Tuesday and noted that tissue sales rose by more than a quarter (26 per cent) in October, which coincided with the release of the lead single off Adele’s fourth studio album, 30.
The song sparked strong reactions among fans of the singer, who on social media said her album was all about “divorce, babes, divorce”.
Reactions ranged from sobbing because of the song’s lyrics, to celebrating Adele’s long-awaited return to the music scene after seven years of silence.
Ocado admitted that the rise in tissue sales could be attributed to the weather turning colder as autumn set in, but added: “We also suspect Adele’s new song about heartbreak may have also had something to do with it…”
Adele’s new track wasn’t the only pop culture moment to have influenced the way people shopped for groceries this year, the Ocado report found.
During The Great British Bake Off’s Biscuit Week, which aired on 29 September, Ocado saw a 921 per cent surge in Jaffa Cakes being added to people’s baskets.
Meanwhile in May, pickled garlic became the latest food trend to take TikTok by storm and led to a 337 per cent increase in the products being added to baskets on the Ocado site, said the report.
Laura Harricks, chief customer officer at Ocado, said: “Culture has always influenced what we eat, drink, wear and talk about, and it seems the pandemic has amplified that even more.
“Over the past two years, we’ve seen a shift in what’s being bought from Ocado.com, and it’s never been more apparent that TV shows, TikTok, music and sporting events have influenced not only our moods, but ultimately influenced our purchasing habits.”
The grocery retailer, who partners with Marks & Spencer, also saw a 29 per cent year-on-year growth in purchases of plant-based products as veganism becomes more widespread in the UK.
Research commissioned by Ocado found that three-quarters of the country (74 per cent) believe veganism has become “more attractive” over the past few years, with 85 per cent reporting that they now consume plant-based food as a result of seeing vegan-related content on social media.
Looking ahead, Ocado’s food trend predictions for 2022 include a surge in cannabidiol-infused (CBD) wines, oat milk chocolate, blended milks, chewable toothpaste, and at-home dining.
Ocado has more than 800,000 active customers, and offers 50,000 products across its UK site that include own-brand and M&S products.
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