Nearly three-quarters (73 per cent) of people questioned in November said promotions are an important factor when choosing what food and groceries to buy, an increase from 67 per cent in October, according to new research by IGD.
While promotions appeal to all shoppers, it was those with pre-school children that particularly value them, showed the study; 84% of shoppers with children under five rate promotions as very important when choosing between products. Meanwhile, 69% of shoppers with children aged between 11 and 15 placed high importance on promotions compared to 71% of shoppers without children. “People are feeling the squeeze from a series of pressures, such as higher utility bills," said Joanne Denney-Finch, chief executive of IGD. "Despite this, shoppers are still interested in maintaining the quality of their food and groceries. They are prepared to give up more time to secure the best value: four in ten shoppers (40 per cent) say they will put greater effort into their grocery shopping over the next six months."
In the current challenging environment, companies need to focus on investing in innovation, she explained. "As shoppers are watching every pound they spend, it is also crucial to get the basics right, such as tailoring the customer experience at a local level – a ‘one size fits all’ approach will not work.” (23 Dec)
© 2011 ESM: European Supermarket Magazine
Read more about distributor by Wynne-Jones
