The key driver for consumers in grocery shopping was convenience and this would lead to a growth in formats such as online shopping, a report by Euromonitor in 1998 found. This has been borne out in the growth of online shopping, while the other big factors of quality and service have grown in importance, according to a 2008 report published by IGD.
While price continues to be mentioned as a key driver making shoppers decide which store to shop in (54% of respondents), it "has declined in importance over the past two years", said IGD, having peaked at 65% in 2006.
Other "attitudinal changes" have contributed to a "growing desire for good quality and premium foods". So much so, believed the IGD, that "[low] price has become a 'given' for more shoppers over the past couple of years". However, it added that the current climate of economic uncertainty "may bring this element further to top of mind for shoppers over the coming year".
Convenience has become more important to shoppers over the past five years as a driver of store choice, the IGD report said. Shoppers were "increasingly referring to ease of getting to the store (52%), and ease of parking (27%)". This driver had led to the huge increase in convenience formats by the multiples. ??
Has the number of customer complaints about the price of goods increased recently?
