Skip to content
Search
AI Powered
Latest Stories

Gen Z behave more like Boomers than Millennials when it comes to grocery shopping: study

Gen Z behave more like Boomers than Millennials when it comes to grocery shopping: study
iStock image
Getty Images

An immense 96 per cent of Brits prefer to shop in stores than online, a new study focusing on consumer shopping behaviour in the UK, has found.

Surprisingly 16-24-year-olds behave more like Boomers than Millennials when it comes to grocery shopping behaviour, with 59 per cent stating they prefer to shop in person than online - the same preference as their Boomer counterparts.


When it comes to the main reasons why British consumers favour in-store shopping, being able to immediately assess a product’s quality (63%) plays a key role. Immediate availability of the product (53%) and being able to obtain better deals (43%) round out the top three main reasons for shopping in person.

Nearly one in three believe they are more likely to discover new products, while 25 per cent of Brits value the in-store customer experience.

The study of 2,000 respondents by the leading Out of Home media and infrastructure company Clear Channel has also offered insights into the top ways the cost of living crisis has affected consumer buying behaviour.

According to the report, 75 per cent of people have had to change their grocery shopping behaviour due to the cost of living crisis. More than one in five reported cutting down on essentials.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the report revealed that nearly half of shoppers (45%) are cutting down on luxuries and treats while 38 per cent of people are doing their best to avoid impulse purchases.

Other ways of adapting to the cost of living crisis include shopping at cheaper supermarkets (37%), swapping usual brands for own labelled goods (35%), and shopping less frequently to avoid overspending (26%).

Only 13 per cent of Brits didn’t have to adjust their spending in the wake of the financial insecurity.

Key findings from the survey:

  • 96 per cent of Brits shop in stores, with 45 per cent preferring to shop in stores only, 8 per cent online only and 46 per centr shopping both in-store and online.
  • Key drivers for product selection are discounts (65%), the cheapest price on the market (37%) and products from a well-established brand (27%).
  • One in 10 Brits impulse buys every time they shop.
  • Residents in Plymouth, Brighton, Newcastle, London and Liverpool are the most likely to make impulse purchases.
  • Food (55%), clothes (29%), drinks (25%), takeaways (24%) and household items (23%) are the top impulse purchase categories in the UK.
  • The top impulse purchase categories for men are food (55%), drinks (31%) and takeaways (24%) while for women are food (54%), clothes (35%) and household items (26%).

“In light of the ongoing economic uncertainty and its effect on consumers, we looked to conduct a study that would help brands to better understand buying behaviour,” Ben Hope, marketing director at Clear Channel UK, said.

“The potential for communicating brand messages through in-store and Out of Home advertising is still as relevant as ever, as shoppers are refusing to compromise on the experience they have by shopping in-store, even if their goal is to spend slightly less. What might surprise many is the trend for the younger 16-24 generation towards the physical in-person experience.”

More for you

consumer cheer
iStock image
iStock image

Consumers cheer up as Budget nerves lift: GfK

British consumers have turned less pessimistic following the government's first budget and the US presidential election and they are showing more appetite for spending in the run-up to Christmas, according to a new survey.

The GfK Consumer Confidence Index, the longest-running measure of British consumer sentiment, rose to -18 in November, its highest since August and up from -21 in October which was its lowest since March.

Keep ReadingShow less
Retail Sales
Photo: iStock

Retail sales take bigger-than-expected hit in October

British retail sales fell by much more than expected in October, according to official data that added to other signs of a loss of momentum in the economy in the run-up to the first budget of prime minister Keir Starmer's new government.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said sales volumes have fallen by 0.7 per cent in October. A Reuters poll of economists had forecast a monthly fall of 0.3 per cent in sales volumes from September.

Keep ReadingShow less
Freight crime cost over £680 million

iStock image

Freight crime cost over £680 million

Freight-related crime cost the UK economy an estimated £680-700 million in 2023, when accounting for lost revenues, VAT, and insurance costs, revealed a recent report from the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Freight and Logistics.

The study, funded by the Road Haulage Association (RHA), documented 5,370 reported incidents of HGV and cargo crime across the UK last year, a 5 per cent increase on the previous year. Experts suggest that the actual figures could be significantly higher due to under-reporting. The direct value of stolen goods reached £68.3 million.

Keep ReadingShow less
 a glass jar of honey
Photo: iStock

British beekeepers urge retailers to stock local honey as imported products fail authenticity test

British Beekeepers’ Association (BBKA), which represents hobbyist beekeepers, has urged retailers to stock local honey, after a new research raised significant questions about the composition of blended honey samples imported to the UK and sold at supermarkets.

In a recent authenticity test, 96 per cent of samples of imported honey from supermarkets were found to be ‘atypical’ for honey, compared to 100 per cent of UK beekeeper samples that were deemed ‘typical’.

Keep ReadingShow less