Consumers are switching to
cheaper brands

Our data shows 52.2% of Brits are switching to cheaper F&B brands – will they remain loyal to yours? At times of economic uncertainty, brands need consumer data more than ever. Book a demo to see how easy it is to get the insight you need to weather the storm of inflation.

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How will your brand retain customers?

Our survey of 1,000 working-age UK consumers finds grocery shoppers are keeping a tight rein on their spending, with 42.3% sticking to a budget when they go to the supermarket.

Consumers have reduced their purchasing in seven out of nine categories. The hardest hit is the premium/luxury foods segment, which sees a huge 70.3% net reduction. Alcohol also records a significant 56.8% net reduction, alongside convenience foods (42.2% net reduction).

Meanwhile, 54.2% of Brits say they’ve switched to cheaper brands. Toilet roll is the most common substitution, with 44.4% saying they’ve switched in the last six months. The next most popular switches are crisps/snacks (39.3%), cereal (37.1%), and biscuits/sweets (also 37.1%). But it’s not just like-for-like switches shoppers are making; 51.4% are choosing cheaper foods, such as cheaper cuts of meat.

Finally, we see that nearly four in 10 shoppers are saving money by switching to cheaper shops. And, of course, it’s the discount supermarkets that benefited from this shift. The number of Brits shopping at Aldi and Lidl has increased from 23.8% six months ago to 39.1% today.

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Our retail sales team suggested there might be a shift in the coffee category; moving from foodservice back to the grocery store because of inflation. So we did a quick survey, and sure enough, there really does appear to be a shift.
Andrea Ramirez, Consumer & Customer Market Insight Manager, Torani

What does this shift in shopping habits mean for you? Ask your consumers.

Find out how

Consumers are adopting the ‘inflation diet’

Beyond switching to cheaper brands, cheaper shops and cheaper food, Britons are reassessing what food and drink is fit for consumption. Our data finds that inflation has driven 18.1% of people to start eating foods after their expiration date (alongside 48.9% of consumers who already did this).

A further 19.7% have recently started eating opened foods beyond the advised time. Meanwhile, 16.8% of people say they will now remove ‘bad bits’ from food so it can still be eaten, and 27.9% have started buying reduced price food that’s close to expiring.

It’s evident that fundamental food behaviours are shifting. For brands and retailers alike, maintaining customer loyalty in this environment will be tricky. To get the vital insight you need, speak to Attest today.