Mobile phone location tracking shows quietest time to shop
According to public data, the UK’s shopping patterns have shifted. A new online tool shows how the population are persevering with lockdown measures during the Coronavirus pandemic.
Created by a team of artificial intelligence (AI) and big data researchers at the University of Oxford, the COVID-19 Impact Monitor tool is designed to understand the effect social distancing has on the public.
Using anonymised mobile phone location data, figures show population movement dropped by 98% across the UK since the beginning of March.
Under normal circumstances, supermarkets are typically at their quietest on a Sunday morning, but since a tightening on social restrictions, public shopping patterns have shifted. Tuesday proved to be the best time to avoid social contact and long queues.
Footfall in grocery shops is now at its lowest levels from 9am to 10am on Tuesdays, as stated by academics.
Other figures show a buying frenzy in March — spending was 23% higher than during the same month last year.
Separate research shows more groceries were bought following the closure of restaurants, cafes, pubs, and bars. This figure soared the week before Boris Johnson announced the lockdown, according to data from Barclaycard, which processes almost half of all credit and debit transactions in the UK.
Stock levels at the nation’s largest grocery chain, Tesco, have also dropped, market analysts have inferred.
In the week ending 12 April, toilet paper stocks dipped nearly 12%, and kitchen towel stocks fell 21%, according to data.
Dr Adam Saunders, co-leader of the Oxford Covid Impact Monitor project said: “The monitoring of population movements in response to the COVID-19 pandemic has received considerable attention following its use in China, South Korea and Singapore, the countries where the virus impacted earliest.
“The team came together to do what we could to help tackle the challenge facing the UK through the use of ethical big data analytics for the public good.”