British shoppers want to get back to basics and are more focussed on self-sufficiency and achieving a zero-waste household than using modern technology to help them shop and live their lives in the future, according to new research.
A study published by food and grocery analysts IGD has revealed a number of ‘simple life’ activities that are appealing to shoppers.
Some 69 per cent of shoppers surveyed would like their household to become zero-waste, with half of those already claiming to be close to achieving it. Elsewhere, 52 per cent would like to abandon their cars and do all of their food shopping on foot and half of claim they already do so.
Moreover, 49 per cent would like to produce as much of their own food as possible. Within that group, 15 per cent of the total claim to be doing so already.
Conversely, technological advances in areas such as hand-held mobile internet devices have yet to spark the imagination of most people when shopping for groceries, 80 per cent either can’t imagine or would strongly resist using a mobile phone to link up with other shoppers to benefit from bulk discounts
Only 18 per cent could see themselves using a mobile phone to compare prices while in store. However, seven per cent say that they are buying all their regular groceries online, with a further nine per cent saying that they would like to in the future, and 20 per cent open to the possibility that they may follow suit
IGD ceo Joanne Denney-Finch said: “While a third of shoppers tell us they have a web-enabled smart phone, it seems that when it comes to shopping for food and groceries many prefer a ‘simple life’ for the moment. But it’s early days for a lot of this new technology, and it may be these very developments that deliver the simple life that shoppers crave in the future.
“So we shouldn’t write it off and we should never underestimate how quickly things can change and really capture the imagination - just look at Facebook and Twitter, for example.
“We’re only part way through a digital revolution, and the best could be yet to come. Many companies are already experimenting with new technologies, and some trailblazing shoppers are reaping the rewards.”
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