For many, grocery shopping is nothing more than a weekly (or bi-weekly, if you run out of milk too soon) chore. It takes some budgeting and pre-planning, but usually people get into a semi-regular routine when it comes to going up and down the aisles. But for Millennials, traditional grocery shopping can seem outdated and like a waste of time in the face of new technology.
According to the 2014 Food Shopping in America report by The Hartman Group, Millennials’ shopping and eating behaviors are exceptional, and function as a kind of barometer for future consumer behavior. What makes shopping more difficult for Millennials are many of the same issues as older generations, with household budget limitations topping the list for all age groups.
Millennials also say that they face time constraints due to household and work schedule, which in turn make it difficult to have sufficient time for planning and shopping, as reported in Supermarket News. And, like Gen Xers and Boomers, Millennials lack energy to think about shopping.
Millennials are active and connected shoppers, and most (70 percent) use their mobile devices while shopping, according to the report. This provides retailers an opportunity to connect with them via mobile commerce. The report also found that while shopping Millennials use their mobile devices to consult a shopping list, call, text or email someone in the household, search for coupons, find recipes or research price, products and brands.
So how will Millennials change the grocery shopping experience? With the rise of online grocery shopping services such as Peapod and Netgrocer, as well as pre-packaged meal kits such as Blue Apron and Plated, it’s clear that the landscape is changing and that traditional grocery stores will need to make major changes to stay competitive and relevant with Millennial shoppers.
Have you used technology in any way to enhance your grocery shopping experience? Let us know at @WhatTheGen and @JasonDorsey. And don’t forget to include your #generation!
