In the last couple of months, Ocado’s revenues have rocketed largely down to the increase in demand for online grocery services during COVID-19 – which will not stop anytime soon.

It’s true that nothing forces change like a crisis. Retailers that have been slow to complete their digital transformation are now being forced into it by the COVID-19 pandemic.

COVID-19 has shone a spotlight on the need for rapid digital transformation in these uncertain times. Retailers like Ocado that are quick to adapt to the new demand for ‘contactless retail’, will be better positioned to succeed.

Clean and contactless will remain the focus post-lockdown, as people are more conscious of their safety. Customers will be using their own smartphones to select, learn about and buy products by scanning barcodes themselves. And employees will use smartphone scanning to do regular tasks like order picking to fulfil online orders and quick retrieval of Click-and-Collect orders.

It’s up to retailers to safeguard the health of customers and employees when they’re shopping, collecting or working, once we enter the new normal.