New and everlasting consumer behavior The COVID-19 pandemic has fundamentally changed the world as we know it. People are living differently, buying differently and, in many ways, thinking differently. Long-term trends have been accelerated. Changes anticipated over the next few years have occurred in the space of mere weeks. The impact is profound. Retailers are reshaping their businesses in real-time, to permanent effect. Our new Accenture COVID-19 Consumer Pulse Research, which we have been conducting every two weeks since March 2020, indicates that habits formed now will endure beyond this crisis, permanently changing what we value, how and where we shop, and how we live and work. Even as this crisis continues to evolve, by exploring the changes that are happening now, we can consider what retail businesses should do today to outmaneuveruncertainty, and emerge stronger to be ready for what’s next. 2