Public Relations & Social Marketing Insight

As anyone who has ever walked into a supermarket to buy a gallon of milk and left with a cart full of impulse purchases knows all too well, grocery shopping can be a complicated process. To help brand marketers decode consumers’ path to purchase, Food Network Magazine partnered with research firm Open Mind Strategy to survey nearly 2,000 people (half of which were magazine subscribers) about their grocery shopping experiences, behaviors and attitudes.

“It’s difficult to categorize consumers as one type of shopper or eater—they want it how they want it and when they want it,” said Food Network Magazine vp, publisher and CRO Vicki Wellington. “They’re also more attuned than ever to ingredients and packaging: Less is more in regard to ingredients, and clear or transparent packaging suggests wholesomeness and ‘better for you.’”

And while the study found that e-commerce is growing, brick-and-mortar retailers need not despair just yet. “The majority of people still want to smell, see and choose their own products, particularly fruits and vegetables,” explained Wellington.

 At first glance, the weakness in luxury is puzzling because consumer confidence is high and Tiffany's customers still have discretionary income to spend.

But Yarbrough points out that people are increasingly spending on categories other than luxury retail. 

"People are still willing to spend on auto, and they're still willing to spend on their homes which are bigger-ticket items," he said.

"They're more interested in cars or homes or experiences," he said, pointing to movies and traveling as examples — not apparel.

An analysis by Jharonne Martis, director of consumer research for Thomson Reuters, confirmed that people were spending their money on hotels and casinos, too, Business Insider's Hayley Peterson reported earlier this month....