The US grocer shopper: Cautious, savvy and inclined to plan ahead
While the economy may be on the mend, consumers have been hit by higher gas prices, rising food prices caused by last year’s drought, mounting healthcare costs, and increased payroll taxes, which means many are still feeling "economically squeezed and spending-shy", says Packaged Facts.
They are also shopping around, with three out of four consumers grocery-shopping in five or more channels, according to IRI Consumer Network data for the 52 weeks ending April 15, 2012, says the report.
47% of shoppers used coupons or coupon codes in last grocery shopping trip
Shoppers are also preparing in advance: "A substantial majority of grocery shoppers (85%) report that they did some kind of planning beforehand, such as making a shopping list, gathering coupons, looking for product or sale information, or looking for menu or recipe ideas. Fewer than 37% of grocery shoppers say they often stop by the grocery store on the spur of the moment."
Meanwhile, "almost half (47%) of shoppers used coupons or coupon codes during their most recent grocery shopping trip, 42% checked store circulars, and almost one in three (31%) used store savings clubs/loyalty cards."