Online grocery shopping for the elderly in Quebec, Canada: The role of mobility impediments and past online shopping experience

Adult customers switch to online grocery shopping (OGS) to save time and to buy specialized products. Less is known about whether and under what circumstances elderly will switch to OGS. Building on the theory of planned behavior (TPB), this study examined how decision making, online shopping habits for edible and non-edible items, and active and motorized mobility limitations are associated with elderly's OGS behaviour. An online survey of 560 older individuals from two metropolitan regions in Quebec, Canada was conducted. We collected data on online shopping habits, difficulties walking, intentions to cease driving, and current frequency of grocery trips, together with related TPB constructs (intentions, self-reported OGS behavior, behavioral, normative and control beliefs, attitudes, subjective norms and perceived behavioral control). After verifying the basic TPB model, difficulties walking, driving cessation, frequency of grocery trips and online shopping habits for edible and non-edible items were integrated in structural equation models. Results support physical and motorized mobility loss and acquired OGS habits as decisive conditions for future OGS, along with attitudes and subjective norms as strong drivers of OGS intention formation. Shopping online for non-edible items did not predict OGS behavior. Getting past a first trial seemed much more important than technological difficulties in transitioning to OGS in our sample. OGS can successfully replace grocery trips as mobility declines. The recent COVID-19 related surges in forced OGS might trigger wider longer-term adoption in this population segment. Driving cessation programs should consider integrating OGS training to replace grocery trips prior to mobility loss.