A year after the first confinement, Belgians have adopted more local purchasing habits, according to an iVox survey on behalf of the Sipwell company. Almost 16.4% of consumers started buying local during the health crisis, in addition to the 42% who were already doing so before the pandemic.
Supporting the local economy is the first reason given by respondents (50.2%) to explain this change in behavior. A fifth (20.4%) buys local for reasons of sustainable development, a percentage which climbs to 27% among those under 34 years old. The quality and authenticity of the products are cited in third position (14% of respondents).
Declick among young people
People over 55 were already loyal customers of local businesses before the pandemic (48.1%). Young people clicked during the health crisis and knowingly started buying more locally (21.2%), according to the study.
There is also a slight difference on either side of the linguistic border. Whether it was before the coronavirus crisis or during the pandemic, French-speaking Belgians seem more inclined to buy local products than Flemings. Women also tend to buy more locally than men.