Every day last year, consumers experienced an accelerated digital transformation of their own. As the world sheltered indoors due to COVID-19, people turned online for entertainment, connection, and shopping––including household goods, personal care items, groceries, and more.
According to SCORE, most consumers who have tried a new digital shopping method expect to continue those habits post-pandemic. With that in mind, how can digital advertisers adjust their targeting accordingly to connect to them in meaningful ways? A new Oracle study analyzed consumer packaged goods (CPG) data representing more than 75 million US households and almost $800 billion in consumer spending from February to December 2020 to explore this topic.
Here are 12 key stats that showcase how purchase and consumption habits have shifted, along with some suggested Oracle Audience segments to help you reach the “New Consumer” in your upcoming summer holiday campaigns.
Baby Boomers were the biggest online spenders
- 5.7x as many Baby Boomers shopped online for CPG-related products in 2020 than the year prior.
- Within this cohort, online shopping was more concentrated in higher income groups, with almost a quarter earning $100-150K per year.
- Baby Boomers primarily focused on home "from-scratch" cooking and often purchased ‘meat and potato’ meals (31.1%).
- There’s potential to grow––new Baby Boomer online shoppers are only spending half the amount of money compared to existing Baby Boomer online shoppers.
Younger generations opted for convenience
- 4.3x as many Millennial consumers shopped online in 2020 than 2019
- Millennials consistently spent the most amount of money shopping for CPG products online compared to other generational groups.
- Millennials (29.4%) and Gen Z (26.2%), skewed towards quicker, convenient meals, like frozen foods.
- Millennials also purchased "meat-and-potato" meals (26.6%).
Comfort food and snack purchases skyrocketed across the board
- Baby Boomers increased their purchase of existing products, like alcoholic seltzers (172%), soda (140%) and chocolate candy (142%). They also opted for new products, like sugar-free cookies, breakfast biscuits, and cheese puff snacks.
- Gen Xers bought more existing products, like dry yeast (134%) and fruit pectin (49%). New products, like variety pack chips, soda, and caramel dip made it to their shopping carts.
- While Millennials purchased more existing products, like fancy napkins (337%), organic baby spinach (198%), gum (185%), and detergent pods (110%), this cohort also tried new indulgences like glazed donut sticks, frozen pizza rolls, and sweet, cereal-flavored coffee creamer.
- Gen Zers increased purchasing existing products like chocolate candy (530%) and beer (114%), yet also chose to add new products to their carts, like white cheddar popcorn and cheese puff snacks.
Oracle Audiences empower marketers to identify and reach their ideal audiences in key moments throughout their buyer journey––at scale. Contact our Data Hotline to activate purchase-based audiences today or use the following suggested segments.

Mother’s Day
Mother’s Day seasonal buyers
People with purchase behaviors and interests toward Mother's Day.
- Segment: Audiences by Oracle > Seasonal and Holiday > Spring > Mother's Day
- CPM: $1.10
- Size: 2-2.3 billion households
Florists and Flower Gifts: High Spenders
Households with likely high spending at florists and on flower gifts
- Segment: Branded Data › Visa Audiences powered by Oracle › US › Retail › Florists & Flower Gifts: High Spenders
- CPM: $1.25
- Size: 150-170 million households
Flower Delivery Shoppers
Past purchasers using Visa at Flower Delivery websites in the last 12 months. Must contain at least 5 merchants.
- Segment: ODC Visa Custom: Flower Delivery Shoppers
- CPM: $1.75
- Size: TBD
Mother's Day Gift Buyers
People who have purchased gifts, such as flowers, greeting cards, and chocolate during the months of April and May in the past 104 weeks. Past purchases include products from brands such as Hallmark, American Greetings, Hershey’s, Mars, etc.
- Segment: DLX Custom: Mother's Day Gift Buyers
- CPM: $1.25
- Size: TBD
Father’s Day
Father’s Day seasonal buyers
People with purchase behaviors and interests towards Father’s Day
- Segment: Audiences by Oracle › Seasonal and Holiday › Summer › Father's Day
- CPM: $1.10
- Size: 79.4 million households
Father’s Day buyers
Shoppers buying lawn care products, sports tickets, electronics, outdoor ger, apparel, and more
- Segment: Oracle DLX (Datalogix) › DLX Seasonal › Summer Seasonal › Father's Day Shoppers
- CPM: $1.10
- Size: 7-9 million households
Father’s Day retail visitation
Devices that visited department stores, sporting goods stores, hardware stores, malls, auto parts stores, or bookstores at least once in the two weeks leading up to and including Father’s Day
- Segment: Branded Data › PlaceIQ › Holidays and Seasonal › Father's Day
- CPM: $0.75
- Size: 30-32 million households
Father’s Day CPG purchases
Households who purchase greeting cards or gift cards in the two weeks leading up to Father’s Day 2020
- Segment: Custom DLX: Father's Day Buyers
- CPM: $1.25
- Size: N/A
Olympics
Interests
People interested in the Olympics
- Segment: Audiences by Oracle › Media and Entertainment › Sports and Recreational Activities › Interest (Affinity) › Olympics
- CPM: $1.10
- Size: N/A
Die-hard Olympics fans—people who have been following trials, local events, etc.
- Segment: Oracle DLX (Datalogix) › DLX Seasonal › Summer Seasonal › Summer Olympics Followers
- CPM: $1.10
- Size: 25-27 million households
Summer sport interests
People interested in swimming
- Segment: Audiences by Oracle › Media and Entertainment › Sports and Recreational Activities › Interest (Affinity) › Individual Sports › Swimming
- CPM: $1.10
- Size: 100-150 million households
People interested in cycling
- Segment: Audiences by Oracle › Media and Entertainment › Sports and Recreational Activities › Interest (Affinity) › Individual Sports › Cycling
- CPM: $1.10
- Size: N/A
Connected TV audiences likely to be Olympic gymnastics enthusiasts
- Segment: Branded Data › Comscore › CTV › Personas › Olympics Enthusiast › Gymnastics
- CPM: $1.85
- Size: N/A