Clipping and organizing all those coupons can be a lot of work. But most couponers wouldn’t stick with it, if it weren’t also kind of fun. Who doesn’t enjoy saving money, after all? Now, a survey reveals that more of us feel that way about grocery shopping in general – couponers and non-couponers alike.
“Most Shoppers Now Like Grocery Shopping,” headlines Acosta Sales & Marketing’s recent industry survey “The Why? Behind The Buy”. 54% of survey respondents said they enjoy grocery shopping. Only 8% consider it a bore. That leaves 38% who are indifferent – but hey, everyone’s got to eat.
Acosta attributes the rise in grocery shopping enjoyment to the “thrill of the hunt”. Of those who like to shop, 40% said they like finding new products, 38% like looking for sales and 25% simply enjoy browsing the aisles.
The results are similar to those of an earlier survey. The Retail Feedback Group’s U.S. Supermarket Experience study found that 64% of shoppers like or love going to the supermarket, and 9% can’t stand it. Overall, those who use coupons and take advantage of sales were found to be more satisfied with their preferred store than most other shoppers, and much more likely to recommend their favorite grocery store to others. “Encouraging the use of the grocery circular, an aggressive couponing strategy and in-store promotions will likely lead to more satisfied, loyal shoppers,” the report advised retailers.
Whatever the precise percentage, the fact that a majority of grocery shoppers say they enjoy the experience is heartening to Acosta researchers. “It’s extremely encouraging for the grocery industry to see that consumers are shopping with renewed enthusiasm,” Acosta Senior Vice President Colin Stewart said in a statement. Such enthusiasm allows stores and manufacturers to “build brand loyalty, introduce new products and grow their business.”
Significantly, it’s not just older people – the ones with plenty of time to wander the aisles – who like grocery shopping. Nearly two-thirds of millennials say they like it, too.
That’s partly because they’re more engaged digitally. Younger shoppers are using their phones for everything, including “pre-shop planning, in-store efficiency and post-shop engagement,” Acosta reports. Millennials are roughly 50% more likely than the average shopper to use digital coupons, visit a store’s website to learn about deals or consult a store’s digital circular. And they’re twice as likely to share their good fortune about getting a good deal, on social media.
Despite all of this engagement and excitement, though, it seems we could all do a bit better about couponing and saving money. Respondents reported to Acosta that they spend an average of $318.70 per month on groceries, together with $123.70 on food prepared outside the home, for a total of $442.40 a month – or $5,308.80 a year. Not an exorbitant amount for, say, a family of four, but with single millennials and other solo shoppers skewing the averages, it’s a relatively big number – the highest dollar amount since Acosta began the semi-annual survey several years ago.
With dollar figures like that, it’s not just shoppers who are enjoying grocery shopping. Grocery stores are bound to be having a blast as well.
