The Millennial Path to Purchase: Food & Beverages

Continuing with our millennial shopper series (access Youth & Sports Part I & Part II) our latest installment takes on the path to purchase for food & non-alcoholic beverages. Understand the journey of the millennial shopper – from catalyst to loyalty.

Routines and Prep

All the top drivers for millennial food & beverage shopping trips are routine behaviors like running out of something, stocking up, and/or regular trips. However, younger millennials are less likely to cite these reasons than older counterparts. As they age, even within the millennial generation, routine shopping behaviors increase.

Before going shopping, they make lists, take inventory, talk to others in the house, and look for physical coupons. More millennials engage in these analogue routines than digital ones. Though of course, when it comes to the secondary digital activities, they do over-index.

Engaging Millennials In-Store

Despite the prevalence of smartphones, millennials most often turn to in-store activities like price and product comparisons. Millennial shoppers are also the most likely to actually enjoy browsing in the store relative to older segments.  They’re the ideal recipient of shelf-level engagement.

Almost all food and beverage purchases primarily take place in person, across fresh/perishable groceries, packaged foods, frozen foods, and non-alcoholic beverages. Millennials are also less likely to purchase food & beverages online than every other category except alcohol.

A Dip in Loyalty

Almost half of millennial shoppers aren’t brand loyal when it comes to food and non-alcoholic beverages.  If brand they had in mind is not available at the store, they’ll settle for an alternative. This is most prominent across these categories. The fact that food and non-alcoholic beverages are necessities means they’re the most fungible.

What best describes what Millennials do when their preferred brand is unavailable chart

Please complete the form below to receive additional information from Collage Group.

Skip to content