Dive Brief:
- "Food Shopping in America 2014," a report from consumer research firm The Hartman Group and food and nutrition marketing agency MSLGROUP, shows changing shopping habits among consumers — particularly men.
- Not before seen, men, who now make up 43% of primary shoppers, are making the same amount of monthly store visits as women, though they are shopping in different places, according to the study.
- The study shows that men are more likely shopping in club and convenience stores as well as online for food and beverage retailers. The study's explanation is that with higher income and buying power, men venture more toward convenience than price, which these types of stores offer.
Dive Insight:
According to this study, male shoppers also prefer to "search and retrieve," finding their items and leaving the store as quickly as possible rather than browsing. Laurie Demeritt, president and COO of The Hartman Group said, "To engage with male shoppers, brands and retailers should offer tools and services to help them quickly and effortlessly locate and buy items."
With the influx of male shoppers, food and retail companies have some thinking to do. Steve Bryant, MSLGROUP Director of Food and Beverage, said, "Brands have the opportunity to understand the male shopper as their presence starts to dominate the shopping landscape."