Shopping Impulses Hit 'Before the Store'

If The NPD Group's Before the Store report is to be relied upon, stores may have to adjust their expectations when it comes to the effectiveness of in-store promotions on impulse purchases. The report found that 94 percent of U.S. households prepare a written shopping list prior to grocery shopping, and 72 percent never or only occasionally buy items not on the list.

For those who do succumb to impulse, the main reasons are: "saw it on promotion (80 percent), saw it in the store and remembered it was needed (67 percent), and looked like a good meal or snack solution (37 percent)."

Ann Hanson, executive director of product development and author of the report, said in a statement, "While most grocery shoppers shop for their food items around once a week, consumers decide what to eat, drink, or serve many times a day. It's these daily activities, and the needs behind them, that drive their purchase decisions."

Ms. Hanson stressed the importance of focusing on consumers at home, "before they leave for the store," as this is where purchasing decisions are made, meals planned and shopping lists assembled.

Before the Store found that while most of those in each household contribute to list preparation, it is generally a woman, the one responsible for preparing the meals, who does the actual shopping. Spouses participate in compilation in some 60 percent of households and children in "nearly 40 percent" of family households.

NPD's methodology included surveying its National Eating Trends panel, described as a "nationally representative annual sample of 2,000 households, representing approximately 5,000 individuals." Other information came from products and services such as DeliTrack, Lunchtime and Dinnertime MealScape Studies.

• Majority of U.S. Households Make Purchase Decisions Before Grocery Shopping and Only Occasionally Buy on Impulse, Reports NPD - The NPD Group, Inc.