Food Delivery Apps and COVID-19
Since the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak in early 2020, I have been always anxious about daily Covid cases in not only the UK but also Japan where my parents live, particularly as my parents are considered as being in a vulnerable group.
There is a noticeable difference in the covid cases between the UK and Japan. I understand that this noticeable difference comes from many complex factors including data sampling etc. etc., and hence this comparison itself can be so misleading. However, I would like to highlight some findings from my research.
Whenever I call my parents, I always tell them to avoid unnecessary travel and shopping and order online whenever and wherever possible. Thus, they now use more delivery services than before including food and takeaway.
According to the websites below, the demographic information on food delivery in the UK and Japan, More 50 and 60-year-olds in Japan order food delivery online than the same age groups in the UK.
Also, according to the statistics about Japan showing the month-on-month change in user numbers by age group, a considerably large increase in the 50 and 60-year-olds can be observed across all the major food delivery apps in Japan.
I would like to look into the same type of statistical data about the UK on the same grounds (but I could not find any), but it seems to me that food delivery apps are now broadly accepted across all age groups in Japan. In addition, I am aware that a top 5 app attracts younger age groups than another top 5 app which has more users in the older age groups.
Apart from marketing strategies, there must be some other factors: for example, differences in UI which are more user friendly for older people than the other apps. I would need to look into those apps by myself to compare each of them for more details but ElderTech has always been one of my interests and hence I am very glad that at least apps and tech are supporting elderly people even during difficult times such as the Covid outbreaks.
Source: Share of individuals who purchased food or beverages from stores online in Great Britain in 2019, by age and gender, 新型コロナの影響は食生活にも？「Uber Eats」などフードデリバリーアプリの利用が急増中
