Quick commerce in Paris

Quick commerce (express delivery of groceries in less than 30 minutes) burst onto the Paris scene in early 2021. Advertising campaigns and massive promos have followed one another since then, as well as twists and turns within the sector: Cajoo's takeover by Flink, restructuring and layoffs at Gorillas, Kol and Yango Deli's closure, etc. Meal delivery companies have also diversified into this new niche (Frichti, UberEats, Deliveroo). To measure the extent of the phenomenon and its long-term potential, Episto, a specialist in social network studies, surveyed more than 1,000 Parisians* to find out their opinions and uses of these new services.‍

In-store shopping is still widely preferred 

88% of Parisians say they do their daily shopping in stores, 84% of them at least once a week; a trend that could be explained by the high density of supermarkets in Paris and their wide range of hours. Other shopping methods are far behind: 1 in 5 Parisians regularly have their products delivered to their home via traditional stores (Carrefour, Leclerc, Monoprix, etc.) and only 1 in 10 via express delivery.

While traditional retailers seem to be winning the battle on delivery for the moment, quick commerce players can nevertheless count on the assiduity of their users, who order more regularly: 40% order at least once a week, compared to 22% of users of traditional home deliveries."

Quick commerce also seems to have created a whole new way of shopping as 2/3 of its followers do not use home delivery by traditional retailers. It remains to be seen whether the concept will gain new market shares in the coming months. Even if it benefits from a strong awareness (85%), the service has been tested only once by 19% of Parisians.

Quick commerce users are very attached to the concept, very attached to delivery times... less attached to CSR criteria

More than one user out of two uses express delivery to save time in their daily life (57%), 36% to avoid travelling and 28% to bypass store opening hours. Regarding the criteria for choosing one delivery app over another, 48% base their choice on delivery time, 43% on the choice of products, 41% on the price level, and 35% on special offers. The CSR criteria are far behind : the possibility of finding local products (17%), the fact that the delivery drivers are salaried or independent (14%), or their means of transportation - car, scooter, bike... - (12%).

Overall, users are satisfied with their experience (94%), and the majority (91%) say they generally find the products they are looking for, even if 83% would like to have a wider choice. A trend that could explain why only 14% of users think they will eventually do without other shopping methods?

Parisians have mixed feelings about the arrival of these new services

Three main reasons are given by those who do not use quick commerce: 56% say they prefer to choose products in-store, 35% do not see the usefulness of these services and 35% believe that they are not in line with their values. Overall, opinion remains very divided between negative (39%) and positive (41%) views when Parisians are asked what they think about the development of quick commerce in large cities. Even if the practicality of these services is widely accepted, they see negative consequences for employment, the environment and the quality of life in cities.

• 54% think they have a negative impact on the environment
• 63% think they have a negative impact on the quality of jobs
• 70% think they have a negative impact on local businesses
• 75% believe that quick commerce should be more regulated

Focus on the under 30s, "early-adopters" of quick commerce

94% of Parisians under 30 are familiar with the concept and 29% have already used it.

In their choice of delivery app, they are more motivated by economic issues than the average of the global sample: their N°1 choice criterion is the price level (53%), followed by promotions (50%). 1 out of 4 users under 30 years old say they use quick commerce to save money. Their use is festive: 34% order alcoholic beverages (vs. 22% on average), at the time of the aperitif (31% vs. 20% on average) or during the evening or night (38% vs. 27% on average).

"In barely a year and a half, quick commerce services have made a name for themselves in Paris, thanks to massive advertising campaigns and promotions. Today, express shopping delivery is a concept known by a large majority of Parisians. Its "early adopters" are still few in number (more so among the under 30s), but they are won over: they express real satisfaction and order very regularly. It remains to be seen whether the quick commerce players will be able to transform the trial and impose themselves on the market in the long term, given the attachment of Parisians to their in-store shopping habits and their critical view of the consequences of this type of activity on employment, the environment and local businesses. More than a new service, quick commerce embodies a social evolution that is part of a reflection on "better living" in the city. The issues of convenience, time saving, improvement of daily life and quality of life in our cities are confronting each other. Like Uber or Airbnb, the time will soon come for regulation (which Parisians seem to be calling for), the challenge of which will be to combine the advantages of these services with the preservation of the urban ecosystem," comments Jérémy Lefebvre, CEO of Episto.

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Methodology of the study

Representative sample of the Parisian population according to the quota method: 1028 respondents.

Study dates: May 10-17, 2022.

Source of respondents: Facebook and Instagram.