Remember when couponing and deal-seeking was an exciting challenge, grocery shopping was all about the thrill of the hunt, and the mundane task of stocking up on food for the week was actually kind of fun?
Those were the days! For many shoppers, inflation, belt-tightening, and coupons and deals that just aren’t as good as they used to be, have taken a lot of the enjoyment out of grocery shopping. A new survey finds that’s still the case – but things may be starting to get better.
Advantage Solutions surveyed more than 8,000 shoppers to put together its Advantage 2024 Shopper Outlook report. Some of what it found isn’t surprising – “grocery shoppers continue to be wary of higher prices at checkout, and a significant number report making changes in their purchase behavior to stretch their budgets,” it pointed out.
But other findings stand out. “Shoppers are less engaged with the store,” the report notes. “Following a number of global stressors, the COVID-19 pandemic and continued inflation, shoppers have lost their enthusiasm” for grocery shopping. When asked to rate the importance of store attributes, things like in-store florists and bakeries, bright lights and clean bathrooms have taken a back seat to the basics – “affordable, accurate prices, in-stock assortment, and cleanliness are top of mind,” the report points out, “while nice-to-have store amenities have dropped in importance.”
Just over half of all shoppers are sticking with money-saving strategies they’ve adopted in recent years, by switching to less-expensive brands or reducing how much they buy. And a third have changed where they shop to save money. Overall, just 27% are loyal to a single favorite retailer, while 65% shop around multiple stores.
And which stores they choose, largely depends on their preferences when it comes to saving money. 53% of shoppers consider sales and promotions when deciding where they want to shop. Kroger is most often the grocery chain of choice for these shoppers, with Albertsons close behind. But two-thirds of shoppers consider everyday low prices, at a store where they don’t have to clip coupons or seek out deals. These shoppers overwhelmingly tend to choose Walmart, with Costco as a second choice.
So shoppers are more willing to let things like unkempt stores or unhelpful employees slide, if it means they can save money. But Advantage Solutions says someday soon, we may not have to settle for just one or the other anymore. “Most manufacturers say they’re holding off on further price increases, and only one-third are planning price increases on their ancillary items,” the report offers as a ray of hope.
Overall, “it’s tough out there for consumers,” Advantage president of enterprise client solutions Jill Blanchard said in a statement. “Their new normal is the constant lookout for deals across products and retailers.” The good news is, “manufacturers and retailers are catering to this value mindset with marketing, promotions and private brand products.”
So if you’re tired of paying too much for groceries, relief may be on the way. And then, grocery shopping and looking for deals just might become fun again.
Image source: Marco Verch 
