It's crazy to think that it's already been over a year sine the pandemic started and lots of things have changed since then, including the shopping habits of consumers.

Meijer revealed what people have been buying over the last year and some are pretty obvious. For example, it's not surprising that with everyone caring more about germs that cleaners and hand sanitizers dominated sales in 2020, being the top sellers for the retailer.

However, Meijer described some of the other mostly-bought items as "unique."

...customers also ate more grab n' go sushi, purchased more citrus produce and supplements, added hand weights to home gyms and purchased decorative pillows to enhance backgrounds for video calls or to work more comfortably from home while in bed.

I second the grab n' go sushi. I made several Meijer stops for the sole purpose of getting the sushi. In fact, I just did this yesterday! Not only that, I also added a couple of pillows to my couch about six months ago. There's a good chance though that while you might be using your new pillows for work purposes, I use mine as I'm eating my sushi LOL.

As far as food goes, sushi wasn't the only thing shoppers were craving. They were all about quick and easy meals for their families.

Some of the most popular choices continue to include rotisserie chicken, with more the 500,000 sold over the last month.

With more people doing at-home workouts the demand rose. Meijer says sales in fitness items (yoga mats, hand weights, etc.) went up 300%!

Some other trends that Meijer incorporated in their report:

  • People were bored a lot, so naturally, they solved that with board games and puzzles. There was an increase in video game systems and accessories, too.
  • More than a 60% increase in fishing poles and gears
  • People bought their produce in bulk opposed to individually.
  • Thermal curtains and weighted blankets jumped 50% compared to the year prior.
  • 160% increase in candles and scented products
  • More than 1 million bed pillows sold in 2020

In addition, shoppers utilized the Shop & Scan method more than ever at 100 million times. Shop & Scan lets customers scan and bag their products as they shop, making a seamless checkout experience.

What did you buy more of throughout the pandemic?

QUIZ: Just How Michigan Are You?

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