In late March 2020, Advantage Spain & Portugal surveyed 290 Senior Leaders at Retailer and Supplier companies. The intent of this study was to measure the impact of COVID-19 on mass consumption and partnership needs based on their feedback.
We asked Suppliers and Retailers:
How long will it take for mass consumption to return to 2019 levels?
Retailers are more optimistic than Suppliers when it comes to anticipated recovery time. Neither sector believes that it will take longer than three years to recover.

We asked Suppliers…
What do Suppliers value most from Retailers during the crisis?

We asked Retailers…
What do Retailers value most from Suppliers during the crisis?
- Key contact is accessible and an effective problem-solver
- Optimized assortment
- Efficient customer service
- Point of sale support
- Differentiation
What do partners value once the crisis is over?
According to Suppliers, Retailers’ priority should be to create and promote a stronger climate of cooperation and trust with Suppliers.
Suppliers anticipate much more growth in e-commerce as a result of this crisis than Retailers.
According to Retailers, Suppliers’ priorities should be to (1) focus clearly on logistical efficiency and (2) provide support at the point of sale.
Retailers anticipate that there will be greater shifts in consumer consumption habits and more pressure on pricing and promotions than Suppliers.
When asked about the product categories that Retailers believe will be critical in driving normal traffic back into stores, they rated the following on a scale of 1 to 10:
- Fresh Foods (9.6)
- Dry Foods (7.9)
- Personal Care (6)
- Home Care (5.5)
- Dairy (5.2)
- Refrigerated (5)
- Frozen (4.8)
- Non-Alcoholic Beverages (4.7)
- Organic / Bio (Refrigerated) Grocery (3.6)
- Alcoholic Beverages (2.6)