Concern for inflation and overall finances is slowly falling, but how are shoppers responding to price increases in store? What motivates shoppers to select plant-based alternatives in their food shop? And how is the cooler weather affecting shopper habits? 84.51°, a Cincinnati-based data company that helps Kroger and its partners create customer-centric shopper journeys, unpacks these insights and more in its Consumer Digest.

Based on real-time insights surveys from September 2022, here’s the latest on shopper trends and behavioral analytics:

Shopper Concern – Signs for Optimism & Behavioral Changes In a fall from last month, 46% of shoppers are feeling uncomfortable with their finances while 64% still report looking for sales, deals or coupons. Fifty-four percent are cutting back on non-essentials and 63% are cutting back on areas besides groceries, such as clothing and entertainment.

Customers are still making changes to avoid price increases. The most common of these include switching from delivery/takeout pizza to frozen pizza and shopping in bulk. Other emerging behaviors from shoppers include 16% switching to bar soap and 12% switching from packaged to rotisserie chicken.

Growing Taste for Plant-Based Alternatives Shoppers are purchasing plant-based alternatives for a variety of reasons including health, environmental benefits, to save, and because of the wide variety now available. The age demographic of those purchasing plant-based options skews young as 59% of shoppers between 18-34 have engaged in the category vs 40% of shoppers 50+.

The most common categories for plant-based switching are:

• Milk alternatives (25%)

• Frozen meat alternatives (18%)

• Coffee creamer alternatives (14%)

• Frozen meal alternatives (14%)

Fall: Cooler Weather and Eating Habits With the cooler weather creeping in, shoppers are changing the way they consume their meals.

• 47% are eating out less for dinner

• 48% are eating out less for lunch

• 52% are eating out less for breakfast

Click here to read the full Prepared Food article.