The New, New Normal: What's In And Out In 2022 And Beyond

It’s often said that the pandemic ushered in years of digital transformation in just a few short months. In the blink of an eye, millions of people began working, going to school, socializing and shopping almost entirely online.

But as the world continues to re-open, what habits from the great upheaval of 2020 and 2021 will endure?

That’s the question we put to the IEEE Impact Creators. What’s clear is that online shopping — particularly with regard to groceries — will continue to evolve, with new logistic technology and customer experiences. Telehealth is also likely to stick around. On the other hand, shortages of semiconductor chips are also likely to endure, potentially driving up prices and creating headwinds for continued digitalization.

GROCERIES

Recent surveys show that a large percentage of consumers that adopted online grocery shopping at the start of the pandemic won’t be going back to in-store shopping. And who doesn’t value the convenience of ordering online? India’s e-grocery market, in particular, has fared after the pandemic. In fact, it is predicted to account for at least 3% of India’s total grocery market in the next four to five years and is expected to value at $24 million, as per a recent RedSeer consulting report.

In the next few years, we will likely see an evolution of technologies to improve the logistics of online grocery shopping, including robots to pack orders for delivery and drones to bring deliveries to the door.