Savvy, Skeptical ‘Polycrisis Shoppers’ Are Browsing Your Aisles – Here’s What to Do

The author examines how the polycrisis is reshaping consumer behaviour and the food industry. Amid inflation, climate-driven crop failures, and global supply chain disruptions, a new type of consumer has emerged: the Polycrisis Shopper. These shoppers are hyperaware, price-sensitive, and pragmatic, abandoning brand loyalty in favour of value, transparency, and sustainability. They balance stockpiling with waste reduction, weigh ethical choices against tight budgets, and expect retailers to respond in real time to market shifts. The author argues that the traditional retail playbook no longer applies, highlighting the importance of operational agility, localised sourcing, and radical transparency in building resilience and trust in an era defined by uncertainty and systemic disruption.