Berlin (dpa) - The restrictions in social life as a result of the coronavirus crisis can trigger a surge in demand for food retailers from the perspective of industry experts.
The BCG management consultancy points out that many people are currently working from home, schools and other educational institutions are closed and restaurant visits are being avoided. "This increases the demand for fresh products such as fruit, vegetables and meat - but also ready meals, because more is being cooked at home," said the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) retail expert, Markus Hepp, the German press agency.
"Of course, this is reflected in the sales figures for these categories, where we saw 10 to 20 percent growth in the Italian market, for example." Wholesalers for restaurants or hotels are particularly badly affected by the current development. Here there is a threat of a drop in demand of up to 30 percent, said Hepp.
The falling demand from restaurateurs, hotels, daycare centers and canteens is clearly noticeable, says Marcus Schwenke, managing director of the wholesale association Foodservice. Break-ins are expected to be slightly delayed in the hospitality industry. Should insolvencies in the catering industry increase, this could have dramatic consequences for wholesalers - the association, which represents providers such as Metro and Selgros / Transgourmet, fears that the pandemic will end long after the pandemic ends.
BCG study
Results of the Dehoga Blitz survey from 4/5 March