Researchers studied millions of US shopping trips from 2010 to 2023 using transaction data from NielsenIQ. They wanted to see how demand for last-mile delivery changed across the country.
The study finds that people in cities used home delivery more than those in the countryside. Delivery use grew faster in big metropolitan areas even before the pandemic. When COVID-19 arrived in 2020, online shopping rose everywhere but the increase was strongest in cities. After lockdowns, demand for delivery stayed higher than before the pandemic. Practical reasons include traffic, limited parking, and faster, lower-cost options where many orders occur.
Difficult words
- researcher — people who study facts and dataResearchers
- transaction — record of a purchase or sale
- last-mile delivery — final part of getting goods to customers
- countryside — areas with few people and many fields
- metropolitan — related to a large city and nearby places
- lockdown — official order for people to stay at homelockdowns
Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.
Discussion questions
- Do you or your family use home delivery? Why or why not?
- Do you live in a city or the countryside? How would delivery help you there?
- Which practical reason in the article seems most important to you: traffic, parking, or faster options? Why?
