According to research from Acosta Sales & Marketing, 54 percent of total U.S. shoppers say they enjoy grocery shopping, up from 41 percent in 2011. Beyond the improved economy, the study concluded that the enhanced enjoyment is being driven by "the thrill of the hunt."
Among those who enjoy shopping, 40 percent like finding new products to try, 38 percent like looking for the best deals/sale items and 25 percent like browsing the aisle for products.
The report, entitled "The Why? Behind The Buy," also showed marked increases in shopper enjoyment within specific ethnic and age groups. Seventy-two percent of Asian-Americans, 67 percent of African-Americans, 66 percent of Hispanics and 64 percent of Millennials reported they like to grocery shop.
"It's extremely encouraging for the grocery industry to see that consumers are shopping with renewed enthusiasm," said Colin Stewart, SVP, Acosta, in a statement. "Shopper engagement, combined with improving economic conditions and increased consumer confidence, is giving way to an improved environment for CPGs and retailers to build brand loyalty, introduce new products and grow their business."
Overall, the research found that shoppers spend an average of $318.70 per month on groceries — the highest figure since Acosta began the survey in 2009 — compared to $288.70 a year ago.
Among the factors said to be helping enhance grocery shopping for some were:
Prepared foods: Spending on food prepared outside the home has increased 22.4 percent to an average of $123.70 per month compared to $101.00 last year;
Snacking: With fewer people eating three square meals a day, nearly seven in 10 consumers who snack have eaten a snack in place of a meal at least once in the past month. Millennials are the least likely to eat three meals a day and are more likely to snack on protein/energy bars, smoothies/blended drinks and energy drinks;
Frozen foods: While frozen foods have been experiencing sales declines, 30 percent of Millennials and 21 percent of Gen X shoppers report they have purchased more frozen foods in the past year;
Digital shopping: Twenty-seven percent of shoppers review a store's digital circular before shopping; 17 percent use a shopping list on a mobile device while shopping; 22 percent log into store loyalty programs/update points/trip information after shopping.