New Acosta Report Highlights Top Influencers Driving Retailer Traffic

"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 Vice President at 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."

Trip Drivers: Top Influencers Driving Shopper Traffic provides an overview of this growing grocery trend, including key motivators such as price, quality, availability and convenience.

Price Takes Center Stage
Price is an important factor as to why shoppers are traveling to different retailers within a given day or week to buy a product that is sold at multiple locations.

• Sixty percent of shoppers reported shopping at more than one retailer because "some products are priced lower at certain retailers."
• Only 45 percent of Millennials cite price as a key driver of retail hopping – this generation is more prone than the average shopper to vary their shopping based on where they are and specific brands.
• More shoppers are choosing at which store to shop based on how much they like the store brand (53 percent of shoppers versus only 34 percent in 2011).

Fresh Foods Driving Store Trips  
Fresh foods continue to be a key driver for why many shoppers hop in the car and drive to the store regularly – so they can purchase ingredients for that night's dinner in-store. 

• Thirty-seven percent of shoppers make multiple trips weekly to ensure their food is fresh.
• From old to young, each generational group surveyed agreed they make multiple trips or have multiple deliveries to receive the freshest food, including 65 percent of Millennials, 47 percent of GenXers, 25 percent of Boomers and 22 percent of Silents.
• Fruit and deli-prepared foods drive 31 percent and 29 percent of dollar growth, respectively.
• Thirty-seven percent of shoppers report they don't have time to figure out what to have for dinner, saying it's typically a last-minute decision.

Brand Loyalty Helps Consumers Connect  
Brands can help establish a loyal shopper following by delivering innovative products that align with consumer demand, and by consistently delivering quality, valued products to develop a level of trust.   

• Forty-one percent of shoppers reported shopping at more than one retailer because "some retailers carry better quality products in certain categories."
• Thirty-three percent of shoppers go to more than one retailer due to not finding all the products/brands they want at one store.
• Brand preference drives traffic across all income brackets, including among 37 percent of shoppers with household incomes above $199,000, and 28 percent of shoppers with household incomes below $20,000.
• Forty-three percent of shoppers surveyed agree that brands simplify the selection process when shopping at multiple grocery stores.

"Personalization is a key strategy in connecting with shoppers and creating not only brand loyalty, but also store loyalty," Stewart continued. "No retailer can be everything to everyone, but by knowing what motivates your shoppers, whether it be price, fresh foods or brands, make a commitment to the satisfaction of your shoppers to keep your location in their shopping mix."

Trip Drivers: Top Influencers Driving Shopper Traffic was compiled using research conducted by Acosta, as well as the company's experience working with the nation's largest CPG manufacturers and retailers. To access the full Hot Topic Report, visit www.acosta.com/news.

About Acosta
Acosta is the sales and marketing powerhouse behind most of the trusted brands seen in stores every day. The company provides a range of outsourced sales, marketing and retail merchandising services throughout the U.S. and Canada. For 90 years, Acosta has led the industry in helping consumer packaged goods companies move products off shelves and into shoppers' baskets. For more information, please visit www.acosta.com.

SOURCE Acosta