Packaging and Logistics Barometer in the Time of the Coronavirus

The effect of Covid-19 was across the board on the Italian economy, many companies were negatively impacted by the Coronavirus outbreak and many had to reinvent their business.

The only certainty in these months of uncertainty is that this crisis has thrown us into a new reality in which we have had to change our habits and this has inevitably had an impact on consumption and purchasing.

We therefore decided to take stock of the situation and analyse the main changes affecting our business, our customers and the issues that affect us most: packaging and logistics.

In the infographic you will find the main evidence we have gathered!

E-commerce delivery volumes grow

Despite many discouraging figures, there is one sector that has experienced exponential growth during this period: e-commerce. A survey by the Netcomm Consortium also shows that 77% of companies selling online in the various sectors have acquired new customers, demonstrating that the crisis has led many consumers to approach online shopping for the first time. It has been estimated that e-commerce will grow by 55% this year!

We looked at our first 50 customers, compared to the same period last year, there was an exponential increase in deliveries, especially for e-commerce.

Even 90% of the sales came from companies with online stores or logistics companies working for e-commerce!

Which sectors grew during the health emergency?

Turning then to the different industries, in the e-commerce world we recorded an important share in the total of new customers in the categories of leisure, sport and DIY (14%), beauty, electronics, children’s products, home furnishings and accessories (8%) and food (6%). Bar/restaurant and pharma customers are also growing with a 3% share. A snapshot of the Italian market that reveals an interesting aspect of the historical moment experienced by the country: the great adaptability of Italian companies that in some cases have even reinvented their business by focusing on food delivery or online sales.

The most popular packaging at the time of Covid-19

Looking at the most popular products, the first three positions on the podium are occupied by boxes and postal packaging (+21%) versatile for all needs, plastic bags with pressure closure (+23%) chosen in most cases by pharmacies because they are suitable for the shipment of medicines, and finally filling and shipping material for secure shipments (+25%).

Emerging geographies

Studying the different geographic areas, we compared data from the lockdown months with January and February 2020.

Most affected was Northern Italy, where orders fell by 5 percentage points (69% vs. 74%). A decline led mainly by one of the regions with the highest density of companies and most affected by Covid-19, Lombardy, which recorded a -4% on the total

On the other hand, there was a good response from the Centre, the South and the Islands, which instead grew by a total of 3 percentage points, demonstrating a new market in the process of development!

Increasing demands from website and email

In relation to the purchasing channel chosen, compared to last year, there was a decrease in telephone purchases (-15%), while website (+13%) and email (+4%) increased.

On the other hand, if we consider the AOV (average order value), the data show a significant increase in the value of telephone orders (+ 79%), followed by email (+ 13%), while online orders remain unchanged.

The importance of packaging and logistics

In these hard months of lockdown, the world of logistics has been put to the test but has never stopped. In the midst of the emergency, this sector is indeed crucial for the whole country and these numbers prove it.

Logistics and packaging have allowed the Italian economy to continue, goods, even basic necessities, to travel and companies to reinvent themselves.

And you? What changes have you noticed in your sector?