Multiples chase family fortunes

Supermarkets have decided that the consumers they want to attract most are families with young children. The whole focus of Safeway’s Harry campaign over the past eighteen months has been to attract this group of consumers. But surprisingly, Safeway attracts fewer young families than its more downmarket rivals such as Asda and Kwik Save.

It seems that shopping with children is a luxury the middle classes cannot afford. According to Harris International Marketing, nearly half of all shopping trips to grocery multiples are by shoppers who have children, but they only take their children with them on 15 per cent of trips.

The HIM report “Grocery Shopping With Kids” outlines how changes in social behaviour over the past two decades are diminishing the nuclear family. Since 1971, the proportion of births outside marriage has increased from six per cent to 32 per cent. For those who do marry, the trend is to delay the start of a family. Household composition, is therefore changing, as will the market for certain products.

Over the past 20 years the number of children under 16-years-old has fallen by 18 per cent. This trend is expected to continue well into the the next century.

Households with children spend nearly 7 more per trip than those without and spend increases slightly (67p) when a child is present. The working parent intends to spend the most on groceries, 25.85, but in the event only spends 19.60.

Over a month the difference in grocery expenditure between households with and without children is 88 (232 compared with 144).

Lone parents account for ten per cent of shopping trips, and 11 per cent are made by full-time working mothers. Just under half of housewives bring their children with them on a shopping trip; this compares with one-third of lone parents and 21 per cent of parents in full-time work.

Although households with children generally have fuller shopping baskets, there are certain categories which appeal particularly to them. The most notable of these are salted snacks, baked beans, squash, carbonated soft drinks and tomato sauce. So called “pester power” seems to encourage sales in the squash, tomato sauce and yogurt categories.

There is no difference in the frequency of shopping by households with and without children (around 8.5 trips per month). However, housewives with children shop the most frequently (9.4 trips) and parents in full-time work the least frequently (7.3).

Convenience is the most important factor in store choice for all shoppers, regardless of parental status. Housewives with children are slightly more price- and quality-conscious than any other parents.

The average distance travelled by shoppers, regardless of whether or not they have children is 2.2 miles. Working parents travel further – 2.6 miles on average, housewives/parents travel less – two miles.

Over two-thirds of working parents arrive by car. This compares with 48 per cent of housewives. Faster checkouts are the most desired service for everyone, with the exception of shoppers who have brought their children with them. Some 41 per cent of these shoppers would like toilets. Nearly half would like a supervised children’s area or a creche.

Shoppers with children, particularly if brought along, prefer to allow themselves to be inspired by the shelves, as opposed to bringing a shopping list (22 per cent). Nearly 27 per cent of shoppers without children at home bring a shopping list.

With a predicted fall in the size of the under 16’s market, manufacturers marketing products to this sector must look for alternative markets. This could involve product repositioning, as has occured in the cereals category, or diversification, a good example of which is Walkers’ adult snack brand Doritos.

The increase in single-parent families has created smaller households and manufacturers must consider the implications for pack sizes.

The full-time working mother is a valuable customer. She has money to spend, but is currently not being encouraged to spend all that she wants to. Compared with the housewife, she buys more pasta, fresh fruit and vegetables, fruit juice and deli products. She also appreciates convenient store facilities, particularly faster checkouts and cash facilities on site and she is prepared to travel further for them.

The housewife and mother makes up a slightly larger market. She does not want to travel so far as she is more likely to take the children with her and less likely to go by car. She shops more frequently and is fairly price-conscious. Taking the children shopping, she would appreciate toilet and childcare facilities.

Multiples should provide more facilities and incentives to encourage shoppers to include their children more frequently in the shopping trip. Grocery shopping trips are becoming more frequent and if children were present on only ten per cent more occasions, another 220m a year would find its way into top grocers’ tills.