service and fast service.
“Service has always been the key priority for shoppers – but service ratings have been getting better. So if customers think it’s ok, they then focus on the next issue,” said Tom Fender, chief operating officer of him!, which carries out the
CTP research.
Over 27,000 customers across 30 convenience chains were asked about their shopping habits during spring 2006. For the first time the study included Tesco Express and Sainsbury’s Local in addition to the usual crop of co-operative societies, symbol groups, forecourts and national convenience chains.
The study found out of stock had been the biggest reason for failed purchases, the case since 1997. Fender said shoppers were “just getting fed up” with patchy availability, which was “driving them straight into the hands of supermarkets”.
“It will stay the number one priority now until the sector gets availability together. Tesco and Sainsbury’s etc joining the market has created a lot of noise and paranoia, and it has given the sector a wake-up call,” he added.
Additionally, the survey found one in four adults visited a convenience store in the last week, although visit frequency had fallen slightly from an average of 3.6 times per week in 2005 to 3.5 in 2006. Customers also want to support stores that stock locally grown products, with 27% saying they would use the store more if local products were available.
Health was reported to be important to shoppers with only 8% claiming they pay no attention to what they eat. But it appears organic foods are not as popular as people may think as only 16% of shoppers would consider buying organic food. One worry was ratings which shoppers gave the various healthier categories. Fresh foods scored 7.4/10, healthy food options scored 6.9/10 and choice of healthy snacks and fresh produce both scored 6.5/10.
