Almost three quarters of UK shoppers say that they usually choose the food retailer that is most convenient for them to use, according to new research from retail marketing agency Savvy.
The organisation's survey also reveals that 71% of consumers feel convenience is more important to them now than it was five years ago.
"As a nation we are all busier and as a consequence, leisure time is squeezed, so the value we place on it increases," said Alastair Lockhart, insight director at Savvy Marketing.
“For all of the cyclical changes we see in the market and in consumer behaviour, for all of the new technologies, the fads and innovations, it is shoppers’ appetite for ever-increasing convenience that so often determines success from failure."
Changing Trends
According to this research, UK shoppers want all stores to be convenient, and often find discounter stores easier to shop in than large superstores.
Home delivery has also become a more popular option, with 61% of shoppers saying that delivery speed is the most important consideration when choosing an online retailer.
However, adoption of click and collect services has been slower in the UK than other markets, with only 22% of shoppers saying that they have used such a service from a supermarket.
“It’s critical that retailers stay ahead of shopper expectations because of the growing influence of Generation Y as a group of shoppers and the rise of a new breed of retailers – led by Amazon – that are revolutionising previously accepted business models through rapid innovation and adoption of technology," added Lockhart.
"But most importantly, we need to be careful not to compromise the quality of the overall shopper experience in our quest for speed – convenience is after all, only one aspect of the shopper experience."
© 2017 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Sarah Harford. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: The European Supermarket Magazine.
