Grocery Shopper Behavior Influenced by Engagement With Food

New Acosta report foreshadows key trends in grocery retail for 2017.

December 15, 2016

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Today’s shoppers are seeking positive culinary experiences, making deliberate decisions from the store to the stove, including wanting to feel good about the foods they eat, have pride in the brands they buy and share their cooking journeys online. Ahead of the new year, research released today in the 13th edition of “The Why? Behind The Buy” from Acosta details the choices and behaviors of grocery shoppers as they look to enhance how they purchase and consume food.

“The experiential factor is driving today’s shoppers to make food choices rooted in what will bring them personal satisfaction and enjoyment,” said Colin Stewart, senior vice president at Acosta. “As we head into 2017, it’s important that brands and retailers think about how their product offerings contribute to grocery shoppers’ positive experiences from the moment the item is spotted on the store shelf to when it reaches their kitchen tables.”

“The Why? Behind The Buy” also explores the key factors contributing to this experiential evolution for grocery shoppers, including the growing natural/organics category. Shoppers’ spending on healthy products has seen steady growth in the past several years, driven by the desire of shoppers to feel good about the foods they’re eating. Among Acosta’s findings:

  • 45% of shoppers eat healthy foods even though they are more expensive. 
  • 38% of shoppers agree, "I often buy natural/organic products because I know they are better for me." 
  • On a typical shopping trip, millennial shoppers indicated that 39% of the items in their grocery carts were organic products, while total U.S. shoppers indicated just more than 25% of the items in their typical carts were organic products. 
  • 26% of millennial shoppers indicated they usually stay on the store perimeter, in areas such as the produce, meat and dairy sections, only visiting select center-store aisles during stock-up trips. 

Shoppers are loyal to their stores and selective about the brands they buy, wanting to feel a personal connection as part of the overall experience. According to Acosta:

  • Nine in 10 shoppers indicated shopping most often at the same grocery retailers as last year. 
  • 54% of shoppers enjoy the experience of shopping for ingredients to prepare the meals they have planned. 
  • 77% of shoppers are buying the same grocery brands as last year. 
  • 37% of shoppers want their grocery brands to be transparent about their ingredients, processing or production. 
  • 46% of shoppers agreed they want their grocery brands to be ones they can trust. 
  • 35% of shoppers buy grocery brands that are socially responsible. 

Many shoppers (56%) enjoy the experience of planning and creating meals at home. Sixty percent of shoppers enjoy preparing new dishes, while 45% of millennial shoppers want to take cooking classes to learn how to prepare new meals and dishes. 

And as the intersection of brick and mortar retail and the digital marketplace continues to expand, shoppers have access to more products, promotions and grocery solutions at their fingertips than ever before:

  • 61% of shoppers have redeemed digital/mobile coupons in the past month for grocery items. 
  • 59% of shoppers who have grocery e-commerce available said they had ordered grocery items online in the last year. 
  • 53% of shoppers get recipe ideas online. 
  • 19% of shoppers, and 25% of shoppers with children, have posted food or recipe content to social media. 

“From online grocery ordering and a desire to explore new foods, to natural products and socially responsible brands, consumers are at the wheel when it comes to steering the CPG industry in a new direction,” Stewart continued. “There’s no doubt that this evolution will continue in the coming year, so it’s up to the industry to adapt by leaning into these trends and building trust and loyalty among all shoppers.”

To access the full report, visit acosta.com/why.

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