On November 26th, 2021, The World Health Organization (WHO) announced the new variant of COVID-19 named Omicron [1]. In addition, WHO said that 23 countries across the world have reported cases of the highly mutated Omicron Covid-19 variant [2]. Yet in the next few weeks, Christmas & the end of the year are coming up, where it is usually a time for people to take some time off and go on a holiday. With the pandemic isn't over yet, what are people's plans for the upcoming Christmas & year-end celebration?

 

 

Most of the respondents (43%) chose to spend this year-end holiday by staying at home because they worried about another wave of Covid-19 cases and found it difficult to take a vacation because of the regulation set by the government. But in contrast to 19% of the other respondents' plans, they will take a vacation at the end of the year.

 

 

During a pandemic, taking a vacation is not really an option for many people because there are many rules and regulations from the government that must be followed; instead of taking a vacation, people spend more time shopping both online and offline to relieve boredom.

 

Shopping activities, especially at the end of the year, are the awaited moments for many people due to many discounts. The main category that has been planned to be purchased is basic needs. And a majority of people prefer to shop in-store so that they can see the product directly.

 

Now, let's dive into the categories in the minimarket that experienced an increase at the end of last year. The top 5 categories that potentially increase at the end of the year are the mask, hand sanitizer, sugar, skincare, flour, and beverages.

How about you? Do you already have a plan for the year-end celebration? Whatever it is you have planned, we hope that you stay safe and healthy. And let's hope for a brighter and happier December with a much stronger economy than last year. If you are preparing any campaigns or studies, feel free to contact us. We would be very happy to help.

 

Source :

[1] Update on Omicron. (2021, Nov 28). https://www.who.int/news/item/28-11-2021-update-on-omicron , accessed on 02 December 2021.

[2] WHO says omicron has been found in 23 countries across the world. (2021, Dec 01). https://www.cnbc.com/2021/12/01/who-says-omicron-has-been-found-in-23-countries-across-the-world.html , accessed on 02 December 2021.