While governments grapple with the task of managing our stretched institutions and health services, supermarkets and their workforces are playing a key role in providing the last guaranteed access point for provisions, enabling people to live out their new realities as new Coronavirus isolation measures come into wider force.

In these unprecedented times, as with previous prolonged periods of uncertainty, consumer behavior changes almost instantaneously, reverting to more basic physiological and safety needs.

So the priority response by supermarkets is to manage these needs. Widespread panic buying, leading to empty shelves of key items such as toilet roll and sanitary hand wash has led to retailers limiting purchases to maintain stock levels. Then, in a move to protect the most vulnerable, some supermarkets have announced priority shopping times for the elderly. We can expect further initiatives to control the supply and ensure basic provisions, such as engagement with community based groups to support local people in need.

Whilst retailers need to act to ensure basic needs of customers and staff, there is also a broader picture to consider regarding the fundamental changes to our daily habits over the coming weeks and months.

With limits on social interaction and movement, there are more subtle psychological health effects at play. How are customers likely to think differently about their food choices, and what might retailers consider to respond to support our increased demands for positive wellbeing?

More cooking from scratch. With people working from home and travelling less, we might anticipate people spending more time cooking at home. Retailers could adapt by encouraging customers to create full scratch cooking recipes during the week.

Health conscious options. An existing trend will likely be enhanced during a period of heightened health awareness. Customers will seek out products and ideas to promote health benefits to combat the threat of illness. Retailers could provide guidance to prioritise products and recipes to support general health and wellbeing.

Locally sourced. Retailers will embracing foods sourced closer to home, partly driven by limited supply of international products. Customers might embrace local for a different reason, turning towards a simpler, closer relationship with food and its origin.

In the past, shopping was more about local, making real meals with real food and enjoying time with close family. During this time of crisis, perhaps we will return a little to such a way of life, making the most of some rare solitude and isolation.

Written by Nathan Watts, Creative Director of Interstore, part of Interstore | Schweitzer. Together we think retail, designing and building stores for many of the biggest grocers around the world.