Better Homes & Gardens Surveys the Female Consumer

In an online survey of 2,151 readers conducted July 30-August 1, 2008 among its readers, Better Homes & Gardens found:

 The vast majority (95%) of women are “very/somewhat concerned” about the cost of food today.

 As a result of the increase in food prices, 71% of women are stocking up on bargains; 66% are eating out less often; and 63% are comparing food prices at the same store more carefully.

 When selecting a brand of food to buy, 79% of women indicated “value for the money” as an important factor, followed by past experience/familiarity with the brand (62%) and consistent quality (51%).

 Roughly 8 in 10 women (83%) try to save money by preparing meals regularly and say that the cost of food is affecting the meals they cook (77%).

 Approximately 3 out of 4 women are eating at home primarily to cut back on spending (76%) and restaurant expenses (73%).

 6 in 10 women (60%) are still shopping each week at their regular supermarket, followed by superstores/supercenters (20%) and discount supermarkets (10%).

 In deciding where to shop, product choice/selection and physical store attributes (79%) have a great deal of influence. For 68% of women, store services/programs are also important.

 To economize, most women (54%) freeze foods and cook in batches (21%). They are also cutting back on certain foods including baked goods and desserts (52%), convenience foods (48%), wine/alcohol (37%) and gourmet oils (36%).

 In addition, more than half (56%) of all women are buying more store-brand/private label brand foods for their cost/value (94%), improved quality (48%), greater trust in the quality (32%) and wider variety (30%).

 1 out of 3 (33%) women report buying a new food because they have a coupon for it. 28% had a store sample and 25% wanted to experiment/taste.

 Other motivators were that the items were budget-friendly (23%) or recommended by a friend/relative (20%). 64% of women are more concerned about wasting food than they were two years ago.

 On average, women spend $105/week on groceries - $34 more than they did two years ago. As a result, 84% have changed their buying habits, 83% have cut back/limited food purchases, and 70% have switched stores.

Excerpted from BSLG's weekly subscription news reader service Food Business News. To subscribe or for information about licensing, contact Broad Street Licensing Group (tel. 973-655-0598)