Dive Brief:
- About six in 10 U.S. consumers and 68% of consumers with children said they are cooking meals at home more often, according to a new report from Acosta. About 86% of U.S. shoppers said they cook meals at home at least four days per week, and 37% said they eat dinner at home every day of the week.
- Despite cooking at home more, consumers are actually stocking their pantry less, with 70% of U.S. consumers stocking up on sale items as compared to 80% in 2012.
- Also, brand loyalty is not as common among consumers today, with about two-thirds saying they always buy the same brands, a decrease from 72% in 2013.
Dive Insight:
"Less pantry stocking dovetails with other prevalent shopping behaviors, such as center store leakage," Acosta said in its report.
Some of these statistics may not be a surprise to processed and center store food companies, which have seen their sales dwindle as consumers favor fresher foods with simpler ingredients lists. Many of these companies have responded by tweaking products, but whether these efforts are paying off is unclear.
Still, it can't hurt for these companies to embrace the consumer health trend regardless of immediate impact on sales, as 44% of U.S. consumers (an increase from 39% the year before) and 51% of consumers with children said they eat healthy foods regardless of the higher price tag, according to Acosta's report.
"Today’s shopper is more educated and hyper-aware of the connection between eating well and overall health for themselves and their families," according to Colin Stewart, senior vice president of Acosta. "As consumers shift their focus to cooking healthy meals at home, it’s important that brands and retailers appeal to these behaviors and continue to educate them about origins of food and healthier options."