A larger number of UK shoppers are now pre-planning before going out to do their food and grocery shopping compared with three years ago, according to the latest IGD shopper research.
IGD, which provides information, insight and best practice to the food and grocery industry worldwide, found that nearly seven in ten shoppers (67 per cent) of just over 1,000 interviewed planned most of their food and grocery shopping before they even get to a store, up from 47 per cent in 2008, as they hunt for best value.
Checking their cupboards, fridges or freezers is the most popular form of planning that people say they do, IGD noted, followed by writing lists, planning which meals to have and asking others what they want.
Shoppers have also increased their shopping frequency, with half of them (49 per cent) making three or more trips a week to their supermarkets, compared with 39 per cent in 2009.
'Most of us are facing stagnant wage increases but rising costs, such as public transport or fuel prices,' explained Joanne Denney-Finch, chief exeutive at IGD. 'As a result, shoppers are investing more of their time in order to secure the best value when buying their food and groceries.
'They are trying to manage their budgets by making more supermarket trips, but aiming to buy only what they need,' she continued. 'By making more frequent visits they are topping up when required and also hoping to secure the best promotions, stocking up when they see ones that appeal to them.
'People are also doing their main grocery shop less often as other forms of shopping, such as online or convenience stores, increase in popularity,' Denney-Finch concluded. 'Shoppers are also less inclined to do too many 'big shops' and instead, for example, wait for pay day to stock up.'
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