Adaptation of the marketing communication policy of trade enterprises to the conditions of the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

The article discovers the nature and significance of the complex of marketing communications in the market activities of trade retail enterprises of Ukraine and analyzes the features and key indicators of the development of the food retail market in recent years. Based on the results of a consumer survey and statistics on the cost of marketing communications of enterprises in 2020, individual changes in customer purchasing behavior caused by quarantine restrictions imposed due to the COVID-19 pandemic are characterized. Among these changes, attempts to reduce the number of visits and minimize the time spent in the store are highlighted, an increase in the volume of simultaneous purchases of "necessary" goods and a decrease in the number of spontaneous and unplanned purchases, a change in priorities regarding store formats and their remoteness, an increase in the popularity of online shopping and delivery services, and so on. The influence of the identified changes on the attitude of customers to marketing communications of retail trade entities is determined and possible directions for adapting the communication policy of enterprises to work in quarantine conditions are indicated. In particular, the possibilities of adapting individual advertising tools at the place of sale, advertising in social media and instant messengers, sales promotion measures, commercial propaganda and sponsorship are defined.