Consumers are spending more than ever on groceries, but the grocery industry is still reeling from a $1.1 trillion U.S. gas glut that has left consumers less-than-happy about what they’re getting for their money.
That was the conclusion of a Bloomberg survey of 2,400 shoppers in the United States.
Consumers also were less likely to buy online than they were in March, with a record 9% of respondents saying they did so, up from 6% a month earlier.
The survey of 3,200 people found the grocery aisle at the grocery store has seen a big jump in sales, fueled by the rising cost of ingredients and the growing popularity of low-price grocery stores.
Consumers have also become more cautious about purchasing products online.
Forty-eight percent of respondents said they bought groceries online and 38% said they were cautious about it.
Forty percent of consumers surveyed said they buy groceries online, up 7 percentage points from a year ago.
Fifty-seven percent of online shoppers said they use Amazon Prime and 35% said that they shop for groceries on the Amazon platform.
Forty seven percent of Amazon Prime customers say they buy food online, a 2 percentage point jump from a month ago.
Amazon has been pushing grocery shoppers to use its Prime service, which allows customers to shop for grocery items, in-store and online.
In January, Amazon announced it would pay $10.9 billion in cash for Whole Foods, the world’s largest grocer, in an all-cash deal valued at $8.2 billion.
The food industry has been struggling since a global glut of cheap natural gas forced gas prices to skyrocket, as U.K. gas prices rose to their highest level since 2009.
Last week, the U.N. agency said gas prices in the U,U.K., Germany, France, Japan, India and China have climbed more than 40% in the past year.
On the heels of the surge in gas prices, the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy and France have all announced measures to cut their gas bills and reduce their use of fuel.
In March, Amazon Prime was launched in the UK, where Prime members can get a free delivery on groceries.
Amazon Prime delivery will also be available to U.A.E. customers in the country starting on Wednesday, May 25.
Earlier this month, the International Monetary Fund said it expects oil prices to rise as the U