New Year, New Grocery Shopping Habits

Over the past two years, shoppers’ buying habits have fluctuated. In mid-2020, many people were inspired to make use of their time at home to try cooking new meals and expanding their hobbies. When early 2021 rolled around, shoppers found themselves experiencing home cooking fatigue. But as we enter the new year, home cooking is back in (but maybe not in the way we expected). Now, there are many factors that have led us here, but we want to focus on what grocery shopping habits may look like in the new year and why food & beverage brands should take note.

Increased Spending, Increased Opportunity

According to a recent report from KPMG (as reported on GroceryDive), “Consumers are now cooking about 64% of their meals at home and planning to eat out about 10% of the time”. They also noted that “Respondents also expect their grocery spending will be 22% higher in December 2022 than [December 2021]”. With people either continuing to work from home or going back to their office, as well as potentially increased prices due to supply-chain issues, many shoppers are planning on spending more on groceries in 2022 than in previous years.

We recently discussed how many retailers are redefining the grocery shopping experience through experimental store layouts and in-person experiences. These changes may be a factor in why shoppers are expected to spend more money on groceries this year. However, we believe this is a perfect opportunity for brands to work with retailers to be a part of the changing grocery landscape and get in front of a new audience.

What’s for dinner?

Now, you may be asking yourself, what exactly are shoppers spending more money on. Well, according to an article from CNN, some national brands have reported an increase in sales for their snack, prepared meals, and frozen entrees. In fact, “While many people are still eating more at home than they were before the pandemic, Campbell says consumers are indicating that they want quicker lunches while they work from home or eat at the office. They also want easily prepared dinners after a long day. Campbell says consumers aim to make dinner in an average of under 18 minutes”. Convenience is the name of the game. Because of recent (and swift) changes to many shoppers’ lifestyles, they are increasingly interested in meals and products that make their lives easier.

Grocery shopping habits have quickly shifted over the past two years. However, the overarching theme that remains present time and time again is how important convenience, affordability, and quality are to shoppers. Here at ChefsBest, we know a thing or two about quality. If you are interested in learning how a ChefsBest Excellence Award can help your product stand out on shelves and online, contact us today.

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