By Tom Cosgrove, Senior Manager, Program and Development, FMI Foundation/Health and Well-being, FMI and Connor Clark, Communications Intern, FMI
As single shoppers, we fall into a different category than other types of grocery getters. We shop for ourselves, so decisions on what we shop for and where we shop are entirely our own. We are able to determine what factors of shopping are beneficial to us, and which are not.
The COVID-19 pandemic, like all aspects of life, has changed our single shopping grocery habits. Connor, who is FMI’s summer communications intern, is a rising junior in college and has newfound responsibilities as a single grocery shopper, preparing meals in his dorm and learning to cook. Tom, a young professional who enjoys either cooking at home or the culinary delights of the city, has become a dedicated in-person single grocery shopper as the pandemic lingers on. From FMI’s U.S. Grocery Shopper Trends 2021 and from our personal encounters, it seems retailers, whether online or in-store, are making single shopping simple and experiential.
Connor’s Take: Sending a “Like” to Online Shopping
It seems that everything has gone virtual, whether it be the way we learn or communicate. From personal experience, virtual activity can be advantageous. According to FMI’s U.S. Grocery Shopper Trends 2021, there is a rise in online grocery shopping, from 52% to 64%. It is easy to see why these numbers have increased from an online shopper’s perspective.
As a single shopper, I am solely responsible for filling my kitchen with groceries. I’m a busy college student, so saving time for outside activities, such as grocery shopping, can be a challenge. Therefore, I’ve taken to online shopping to maximize convenience and save time. The grocery stores I most often frequent have incorporated features, such as pre-loaded grocery lists and item replacement suggestions, into their online platforms. Thanks to these features, online grocery shopping made a once-cumbersome activity for this single shopper into a convenient and enjoyable experience.
Tom’s Take: How Shopping Old School is the New Cool
For me, the pandemic has raised a desire to go back to basics. From FMI’s U.S. Grocery Shopper Trends 2021, 50% of shoppers share my view that grocery stores are safe for us to shop in person, and along with nine out of ten Americans, I trust my store with ensuring the food I pick off the shelves is safe.
I enjoy the physical advantages that in-person shopping brings. Trips to the store serve as a reason to get out of the house, enable me to physically inspect products I wish to purchase, and potentially try a new recipe idea. The idea of trying new foods and creating new recipes was a theme for nationwide consumers. According to U.S. Grocery Shopper Trends, 32% of consumers improved their abilities to prepare fresh foods, such as produce (25%), meat and poultry (20%), and seafood (18%). As a single shopper, I too have improved at preparing items throughout the pandemic.
Regardless of whether you’re a single shopper who prefers online grocery shopping or strolling the aisle in person, food retailers that create high quality experiences in both settings are likely to win over single shoppers across the board.
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