Consumers gear up for holiday grocery shopping, as inflation concerns tick down, 84.51° reports

“As consumers head into the holidays, 91% tell us that they will spend the same or less compared to last year. We know that when shoppers are looking to stretch their dollar, they claim to rely on using coupons (both digital and paper), trading to lower-cost brands or smaller sizes, reducing impulse purchases by sticking to lists, buying in bulk and utilizing weekly ads and circulars to plan their trips,” Melissa Myres, director of insights, 84.51°, told FoodNavigator-USA.

Consumers prep for holidays early, plan to make cuts to Halloween celebrations

In a survey of 385 Kroger shoppers, 84.51° found that nearly all shoppers (96%) said that they will celebrate at least one of the fall or winter holidays. Most consumers (91%) will celebrate Christmas, followed by 89% who said they will celebrate Thanksgiving and 69% will celebrate New Year, 84.51° reported.

Most consumers (63%) plan one to three months ahead of the December holiday, 59% plan two weeks to a month ahead of Thanksgiving and 47% plan two weeks to a month ahead of Halloween.

While not as well observed as the other holidays, Halloween is a holiday that 65% of consumers plan to celebrate. Of those who celebrate, 43% of shoppers plan to stay home and hand out candy, and 36% said that they are stocking up on candy to give out or for themselves or their families.

However, many consumers plan to cut back on Halloween celebrations this year, given higher food prices. About a third (37%) of shoppers said they are cutting back on candy, and 22% said they are spending less on food and beverages for festive gatherings. 

Consumers prepare for holidays by searching for deals, planning ahead

When it comes to shopper priorities during the holiday, 71% of shoppers want sales deals and coupons, and 70% of consumers want their items to be available. A third of consumers seek a one-stop shop for their holiday shopping needs, while 26% and 22% want personalized shopping experiences and online ordering, respectively.

During the holiday season, baking supplies, refrigerated dough spices, extracts, bagels, cream cheese, frozen desserts and sugar and other sweeteners are among the categories that will see a spike in demand, Myres noted.

Food inflation concerns drop slightly, but is still a concern for consumers

Additionally, 84.51° found fresh signs that consumers feel the effects of cooling food and beverage inflation. Nearly two-thirds (63%) of shoppers said they are concerned about inflation, which is 1% lower than the same time last year, 84.51° reported.

“While shoppers tell us their concern over inflation has decreased versus the previous month, it is still important to note that their level of concern is still higher than it was this spring. Grocery prices, monthly bills and inflation are large sources of discomfort when it comes to their finances, with almost one in four shoppers claiming they are uncomfortable,” Myres said.