More people use mobile devices to buy groceries than any other retail category

When it comes to buying stuff online, most people still prefer PCs. But mobile is becoming an increasingly important sales channel for one particular retail industry above all others: Groceries.

Based on data from PriceWaterhouse Coopers charted for us by BI Intelligence, 37% of all grocery e-commerce sales in October came from purchases on a mobile device like a phone or tablet. Other retail industries, like furniture and health, are not too far behind, but BI Intelligence predicts sales of online groceries will grow at a much faster rate than sales at traditional supermarkets.

Considering how the US grocery industry accounts for roughly $600 billion a year in sales, BI Intelligence forecasts the online grocery market will grow about 21% each year for the next three years. After all, the food and beverage industry is the largest retail industry by far, and online services that can get food into your home - whether it's fresh from the store or already prepared by a restaurant - are in high demand: Companies from GrubHub to Amazon and Uber are already launching campaigns to get in on the action.

BI Intelligence