New Report Shows Grocery Store Bakeries Have Boomed Since Covid

Many grocery stores have bakeries amongst the aisles of pre-packaged foods where customers can often order personalized cakes and cupcakes, fresh sliced bread, pies, cookies, and more. These foods are often baked on-site, creating a delicious aroma in that section of the store.

According to The Economic Times, our enjoyment of sweet flavors dates back to ancient times, when sweet flavors in foods like fruit indicated that they were safe to eat and nutritious. These days, people may prefer sweets due to the release of serotonin we receive after biting into one, as per Cleveland Clinic. Serotonin provides a feeling of happiness as a reward for enjoying a sugary treat, though of course, overindulgence carries its own risks.

More people may be craving sweets these days. A new survey shows that customers are placing more value on the convenience of one-stop shopping in the aftermath of Covid. They may also be more inclined to grab a sweet treat from the grocery store bakery while collecting regular groceries after completing an online pickup order.

What's making bakeries so popular? Inflation may have contributed to the increase in bakery purchases in local groceries, Food Business News reports. As restaurant meal costs rise, more consumers are opting to enjoy their food at home. This likely pushed 66% of surveyed customers to buy more bread and rolls from store bakeries than they had before the pandemic. These goods can also typically be purchased in smaller quantities from bakeries, creating a more cost-friendly option for shoppers as prices inflate.

The survey also reported that customers are purchasing more bakery treats. Roughly 31% of the survey's respondents stated that they treat themselves to sweets more now than they did in 2020. While 67% of people said that they prefer to go to a non-grocery store bakery to purchase cakes for special occasions, grocery store bakeries can be a great place to pick up a smaller treat, like a cookie, to enjoy any time.