Purchasing food online is becoming increasingly popular for Canadians, according to a new report released on Tuesday by the Canadian Internet Registration Authority (CIRA).

The report, How the Internet feeds hungry Canadians, found that 24 per cent of Canadians have purchased food online in the past year, up from 14 per cent in 2016 and 17 per cent in 2017.

“Given how important food and the Internet are to Canadians, CIRA decided to explore the intersection between the two,” said David Fowler, vice-president of marketing and communications at CIRA. “With the rise of websites and apps allowing Canadians to order food to their front door, … websites promoting local food products and technologies directing food meant for a landfill toward organizations feeding hungry Canadians, the Internet and food have never been more connected.”

CIRA did a social media survey in September about how Canadians are purchasing food online. The survey received 128 respondents from across Canada. The key results were:

• • Ordering restaurant takeout is the most common way respondents purchased food online. This includes using a restaurant’s website or app for delivery (68 per cent) or pick up (57 per cent) or through a delivery service like Skip the Dishes (59 per cent).
  • The next most popular way to access food online is by ordering specialty or health food products not readily found in a grocery store (27 per cent of respondents have done this).
  • 17 per cent of respondents have ordered groceries online to be picked up at the store and 11 per cent have ordered them online and had them delivered to their home.
  • 17 per cent have ordered grocery products online at a non-traditional grocery store such as Amazon.
  • 16 per cent of respondents ordered a food box/meal kit online.
  • Ordering takeout online is popular among all ages of respondents. But age makes a difference when ordering groceries online (most popular among 35-to-44-year-olds and 55-plus).

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