The most recent survey of grocery shoppers’ spending habits and attitudes by FMI – The Food Industry Association found that parents are using online grocery shopping more than most consumers.
According to FMI’s “Back to School” report, 42 percent of parents noted a year-over-year increase in frequency for buying groceries online. As a group, they are twice as likely to always shop online than consumers as a whole, 24 percent to 12 percent.
“Whether it’s modifying the grocery list to ensure your children arrive at school charged with a nutritious breakfast, stocking up on the necessary elements for packing school lunches, ensuring there are healthy after-school snacks available, accommodating ramped-up appetites at dinnertime, or adapting to more frequent family meals at home, school days dramatically impact American grocery shopping,” said Leslie G. Sarasin, president and CEO.
“This report takes the mystery out of what happens in the grocery aisles when the school doors open for another academic year.”
With record-high temperatures and several extreme weather events, summer disruptions have caused parents to alter their spending habits. Of those surveyed, 64 percent report eating at home more than usual over the past few months, while 53 percent overall report eating at restaurants less often.
The report found that parents were much more likely to stock up on grocery staples in anticipation of extreme weather. Similarly, they were more likely to buy more bottled water and hydration drinks than their counterparts.
FMI’s latest grocery shopper trends report also revealed:
- Consumers are more likely to eat at home this year than last year, with 63 percent of parents and 59 percent of shoppers detailing this shift.
- Fifty-nine percent of parents say they are cooking meals more frequently in 2023.
- An increase in healthy eating was reported by 47 percent of parents, compared to just 36 percent of shoppers overall.
- Forty-two percent of parents say they are more likely to rely on frozen foods this year, an increase of 10 percentage points over shoppers in general.
Overall, shoppers report a desire to continue many of these trends this fall. More than half say they plan to eat at home more, while 41 percent will eat out at restaurants less.
With more shoppers planning to eat at home, 44 percent say they plan to prepare their own meals more, while nearly a third report they plan to eat more healthfully.
FMI works with and on behalf of the food industry to advance a safer, healthier and more efficient consumer food supply chain.
