Online food delivery ordering problems: A discrete choice analysis of less developed areas of Southern Italy

Worldwide, the food & grocery e-commerce market grew by 22.8% in 2024 alone, reaching a value of more than USD 680 million. In Europe, this segment accounts for only a third of the US market and a fifth compared to Asia. The creation and development of a food e-commerce service is a business that involves all categories of people daily, so there is a large market. To improve the services to be offered to the community, it is necessary to know the potential demand of users considering socio-demographic and economic aspects. This work focuses on assessing the propensity to purchase food online through a Discrete Choice Analysis. The analysis was performed through the administration of a survey in Sicily and Calabria, Italy, regions characterized by low development. The data acquired allowed the calibration of three (3) binomial logit models, considering different attributes. The results showed that age, gender and distances from nearest restaurant/fast food have a significant impact on online purchases. This study lays the foundations for the improvement of online food purchasing services, starting with a more detailed analysis of consumers and thus improving economic and social aspects but also defining a more sustainable transport demand as described below.