Winter Holiday Celebrations During COVID-19

CPG Data From Thanksgiving 2020 Hints at What’s to Come

To get a sense of how Americans will be celebrating the holidays this winter, CPG shopping and consumption behavior right before and during Thanksgiving 2020 provides a sneak peek.

Like Thanksgiving, fewer people will travel to celebrate the December holidays with family and friends. Celebrations will still happen, but with less people. As IRI reported in its Home for the Holidays report, there’s a tremendous opportunity for retailers and CPG manufacturers alike to help consumers start new traditions or celebrate the holidays in a safe but delicious way.

Highlights:

• While turkey sales – especially sales of turkey breasts – were way up in 2020 vs. 2019, smaller birds were on the table this year.
• 29% of consumers did their Thanksgiving grocery shopping earlier this year.
• Thanksgiving gatherings were significantly smaller this year with an average of four people around the table, down from eight in 2019.

The infographic below shares more on how Americans celebrated this year’s pandemic Thanksgiving and some of the changes to their holiday shopping habits. For more information, check out how departments across the store are performing each week by viewing the IRI CPG Demand Index™.

Click on the infographic image below to download full PDF.