Food affordability has pulled even with taste as the two most important factors consumers consider when buying food, according to a new national survey from Stratovation Group and food and agriculture communications agency Inspire. More than half of respondents said rising food prices have strongly affected how they buy food at grocery stores or restaurants.
The research provides a detailed look at how American consumers are adjusting shopping habits, eating patterns and household budgets amid sustained food cost increases.
How shoppers are adapting
Grocery shoppers are making concrete behavioral changes rather than simply cutting back. Nearly half report stretching food into multiple meals. Among those adjusting habits to manage costs, 39 percent are eating more at home, 36 percent are shifting to store brands and generic items and 32 percent are buying in bulk.
Digital tools remain widely used despite cost pressures — about three-quarters of survey households have used a local grocery store’s pickup or delivery service, and about 7 in 10 have used a third-party grocery app.
When it comes to specific cuts, nearly half of shoppers would reduce alcohol purchases first. Higher-priced gourmet foods and sweets also rank near the top. Of the specific food categories named as budget cut targets, beef ranked highest, followed by pork, chicken and turkey. Fresh produce, eggs, cheese and dairy items were cited by 11 to 13 percent of respondents.
The MAHA factor
The survey also gauged awareness and trust in the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement. About 30 percent of respondents described themselves as highly aware of MAHA, while only 8 percent were unaware. More than half said they believe MAHA’s work is in their family’s best interest.
Cam Camfield, CEO of Stratovation Group, said the MAHA findings suggest the movement has crossed from fringe to mainstream awareness within agricultural and food circles.
“When you see nearly a third of respondents highly aware and a majority expressing trust in the movement’s intent, that tells us this has moved past the fringe to being a real influence in how agriculture thinks about its role in health conversations. The opportunity now is making sure that awareness translates into practical, science-based policy decisions on the ground, which MAHA sometimes lacks,” Camfield said.
Hinda Mitchell, president of Inspire, noted a potential tension between MAHA’s emphasis on real, fresh food and the affordability-driven tradeoffs consumers are making at the shelf.
“Especially in the context of potential shifts away from fresh, nutritious and perishable foods, consumers are making tradeoffs for affordability that may not fully align with trends away from processed foods and toward real food and quality proteins. This will require new thinking and messaging by food marketers to demonstrate value through bulk purchasing and meal strategies that maximize food spending,” Mitchell said.
Full study methodology is available at AboutInspire.com/Research.
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