The latest research from international food and grocery expert IGD has revealed that almost half of UK shoppers, or 46 per cent, are actively looking for new groceries when shopping, suggesting that post-recession British shoppers are still looking at innovation and experimentation.
In the study, entitled 'Shopper-led Product and Range Innovation', IGD found that the top five features encouraging British shoppers to buy a new product were if it was healthier (27 per cent), better quality (23 per cent), offers better performance (21 per cent), has an interesting flavour/smell or recipe (19 per cent) or it 'makes life easier' (18 per cent).
Fruit and vegetables appeared third on the list of categories offering attractive new products, with 18 per cent of shoppers recognising innovation in the segment, behind only laundry and cleaning products (23 per cent) and toiletries (22 per cent).
When asked how consumers find out about new products, almost half of shoppers (48 per cent) suggested that it was through a mixture of in-store merchandising and above-the-line advertising.
'At a time when money is tight, retailers and manufacturers should not walk away from innovation – shoppers haven't,' said IGD chief executive Joanna Denny-Finch. 'In 2005, 47 per cent of British shoppers said they were consciously looking out for new grocery products when shopping. Five years on, and even post-recession, British shoppers still have an appetite for new products – but what they are looking for is changing.
'As we enter a new landscape, companies must address the evolving needs of today's shoppers through their research and development, and continue to push technical boundaries, delivering new exciting groceries for British consumers,' she added.
