Freshness, convenience and brands drive store-hopping among young shoppers, according to a new report.

Mark Hamstra

December 12, 2017

2 Min Read
Millennials shop multiple stores for groceries
Thinkstock

Millennials are more likely than other age groups to shop three or more retail outlets for groceries each week, according to a new report from Acosta.

However, although price is a driving factor for most shoppers who report shopping multiple locations, millennials are the least likely of any age group to report price as a reason for spreading their grocery shopping around.

According to Acosta’s “Trip Drivers” Hot Topic Report, 76 percent of consumers who shop at least once per week said they visit two or more stores to buy groceries. Millennials are the most likely to shop at the most locations, with 44 percent saying they shop at three or more stores, compared with 29 percent of all shoppers.

Price is the biggest motivator for all shoppers visiting multiple outlets, with 60 percent agreeing that some products are priced lower at certain retailers. Forty-one percent said quality variability across different categories is a motivating factor in store-hopping, 33 percent said product availability is a factor and 23 percent cited convenience.

Among millennials, only 45 percent cited price as a key factor driving them to shop multiple stores. This age group is more likely to cite physical proximity and the availability of specific brands.

Millennials are also more likely to shop multiple retailers to ensure freshness, the report found. While 37 percent of shoppers said they make multiple trips to ensure their food is fresh, 65 percent of millennials said they make multiple trips or have multiple deliveries to receive the freshest possible food. That compares with 47 percent of Gen Xers, 25 percent of baby boomers and 22 percent of silents (age 70-plus).

“Shoppers appreciate having options, which is why we are seeing a rise in hopping from store to store for weekly grocery trips,” said Colin Stewart, senior VP at Jacksonville, Fla.-based Acosta. “People are motivated by not only good deals and fresh products, but also by brand loyalty, which can impact their decisions to either keep returning to a particular store, or hopping to another.”

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This piece originally appeared on Supermarket News, a New Hope Network sister website. Visit the site for more grocery trends and insights.

About the Author(s)

Mark Hamstra

Supermarket News

Mark Hamstra is a former content director of Supermarket News, a sister website of New Hope Network, and is now a freelance writer and editor.

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