The pandemic has changed a lot of consumers' buying habits.
Just recall early 2020 when there was a toilet paper shortage, along with a lack of both cleaning supplies (like hand sanitizer) as well as the packaging for those supplies.
The Clorox Co. saw demand skyrocket for its bleach and cleaning products in 2020. A year later, demand for those same products is down, and the company said in an earnings release Aug. 3 that it would miss expected numbers.
Sales dropped in three of its four business units "primarily to the deceleration of shipments from peak levels during the COVID-19 pandemic, including more rapid-than-expected deceleration in the Health and Wellness segment," the Oakland, Calif.-based firm said.
But the rising Delta variant may still cause another spike in consumer purchasing.
The Progressive Grocer reports that a survey of 1,000 people by Inmar Intelligence on July 30 — just a few days after renewed guidance to wear masks indoors hit — showed that 70 percent of those people are considering replenshing their stockpile of goods.
Supply chain shortages also are contributing to those plans, as consumers report problems finding their preferred brands, Progressive Grocer writes.