Fresh vegetables and groceries are helping to drive retail expansion in Taiwan.

Despite Taiwan’s strong reaction to Covid-19, the epidemic has fueled the expansion of e-commerce in Taiwan, as it has around the world, with fresh food playing a role.

Despite Taiwan being basically Covid-free, the USDA reports that Taiwan’s e-retail business has expanded from US$6.9 billion in 2019 to US$8.3 billion in 2020, since consumers choose “no-contact” buying choices to prevent the spread of Covid-19.

This tendency has been especially essential for the growth of online grocery orders, with Euromonitor forecasting a 10% increase in food and beverage e-commerce sales to US$806 million in 2020.

“Shoppers are gaining more trust in purchasing food and beverage products online, however obstacles exist for perishable products,” according to the report, citing improvements in supply chain systems and a shift in customer preferences.

“E-retail in the food and beverage industry has significant business potential, and an increasing number of shop owners and e-commerce platforms are capitalizing on newly emerging customer behaviors, particularly in the fresh product category.”

Businesses across the industry have adapted to keep up, with brick-and-mortar merchants joining e-retailers in an effort to meet the demand for fresh produce delivery.

According to the survey, “more brick-and-mortar retail players are aggressively investing in integrating their online and offline resources to give consumers with a more user-friendly purchasing environment.”

“PX Mart, 7-Eleven, Families, Simple Mart, RT Mart, Ai Mai, Costco, Carrefour, and Taiwan Fresh Supermarkets have all aggressively developed their e-retail platforms to service their clientele both offline and online,” according to the report.

“Moreover, both Momo Shop and PChome Online Inc have implemented logistics to provide fresh meal delivery.”