Jun 7, 2016

By: David Fikes, Vice President of Communications and Consumer/Community Affairs, Food Marketing Institute 
Eatting Together

Last year, FMI’s U.S. Grocery Shopper Trends research highlighted the growing shared shopper paradigm. This year, with our research partners, the Hartman Group, we dug a bit deeper into that phenomenon, seeking to gain a bit more understanding into how households are splitting the grocery shopping responsibilities. Just as the key to effective communication comes in knowing your audience, we believe the key to effective marketing requires food retailers to know their customer. We’ll be sharing our findings in detail during FMI Connect with a keynote presentation by Leslie Sarasin, president and CEO of FMI in the session The Ins and Outs of Shopper Thinking: An Exploration of 2016 U.S. Grocery Shopper Trends.

For this year’s report, we surveyed over 2,000 shoppers and conducted 10 ethnographic interviews. For three hours each, we asked – I could say grilled, but that would be a bad pun – two household members about their shopping, cooking and eating customs. During these interviews, it became clear to me that in many households there is something of a food fight going on. American families need help in candidly communicating with each other about their family’s food philosophy. At the interview’s conclusion, many of the couples thanked us for being curious about their thoughts and shopping patterns, but I think most were more appreciative of having the opportunity for an honest exchange about their food views in a non-threatening atmosphere.

In family food philosophy circles, the three most common problem areas are taste, health and cost. One family member prefers bland, the other likes flavorful zing; one partner wants healthier options, the other really likes his or her chips and dip and doughnuts; one partner will be willing to buy a cheaper cut of meat, but not skimp when it comes to buying organic, while the other could not care less about organic and is willing to splurge on independent beers. But as is often the case in many areas of human relationships, the root issue of the missed connection is communication – or the lack of it.

American couples are sharing in the food shopping adventure, but can benefit from clear, clean and productive conversations about their taste preferences, wellness goals and food budgeting. As their trusted collaborator in the food shopping venture, food retailers are well positioned to prompt some of these conversations. Your store flyer or social media outlet can be utilized to help promote table talks that invite couples to speak with each other and not at each other about their family food philosophy. You can help them exchange needed information, helping them to make shopping truly a shared experience, not just a split list.

Hear the 2016 U.S. Grocery Shopper Trends findings on Tuesday, June 21 during the keynote session at FMI Connect and join the conversation on social media with #GroceryTrends.