Survey: Supermarket shoppers see no signs of economic recovery

NEW YORK A new nationwide study conducted on behalf of the Private Label Manufacturers Association found that more than 8-out-of-10 supermarket shoppers see no improvement in the economy, and 40% actually believe things have gotten worse, suggesting there is no immediate recovery in the offing.

As consumers continue to cope, the study affirms, the appeal of store brand products is stronger than ever as shoppers continue to shop for value.

When asked how they think the economy will impact their supermarket shopping habits, more than two-thirds said they will take advantage of discounts by buying larger sizes or quantities for items they regularly purchase; two-thirds will look for more coupons and promotions on national brands; and about a third plan to change the stores or types of stores where they do their primary grocery shopping, the survey found.

When asked how important economic conditions were in deciding to buy a supermarket store brand, four in ten responded “very important.” A solid majority of consumers — more than 60% — affirmed they plan on buying more private label as they attempt to stretch their food dollars. Some 57% said they buy private label products frequently, a figure that has been increasing — it was under 55% a year ago, PLMA noted.

And some 43% reported they recently have forsaken a familiar national brand for a private label counterpart, a marked increase since the June 2009 when only 35% said they had done so.

The findings are based on a poll of nearly 800 main household grocery shoppers conducted in February 2010 by GfK Custom Research North America for PLMA. The full report, entitled "Recession, Recovery and Store Brands: What Consumers Are Saying Now," is available for download at http://cli.gs/PLMAGfKRpt.