According to the Kantar study, consumers still have a cautious and pragmatic approach to shopping, based on buying brand-name products as cheaply as possible. However, the share of compulsive shoppers, who limit their spending to the minimum, is growing. And there are more priceoholics, focused solely on quotas. In turn, shopping enthusiasts who rely on influencer reviews are losing their position. Instead, it is increasingly common to find eco-centric consumers who are looking for organic goods. In addition, the number of price-conscious connoisseurs is decreasing. The share of home shoppers is also declining.
The autumn edition of the FMCG Brands We Shop survey by Blix & Kantar, conducted among more than 4,000 Poles aged 18-65, revealed that the dominant consumer group is still prudent and pragmatic. Since the spring edition, their share has fallen by only 1 p.p. and currently stands at 24%. Such shoppers like well-known brands, but they are also quite price-sensitive. They look for bargains to buy the best quality products as cheaply as possible.
– A prudent and pragmatic approach to shopping means that Poles want to buy the best quality products as cheaply as possible. However, the price increases are becoming more and more noticeable for the average Kowalski. This is why producers of well-known brands are beginning to feel the pressure of the development of competitive private labels, which are often of the same quality as their branded competitors and are heavily promoted by retail chains,” comments Marcin Lenkiewicz, co-author of the Blix Group study.
In second place on the list are now compulsive shoppers, who were previously in third place. Their share among Polish consumers has increased since spring by 4 p.p. and now stands at 18%. This is a group of shoppers who are hard to please. It is usually represented by people focused on getting their shopping duties done quickly. These types of customers are negative about any special offers and promotions. This is the most distrusted segment.
– The reason for such a clear change in a fairly short time may be the current economic situation in Poland and the world. Rising inflation and economic uncertainty are causing visible increases in the conservative and savings-focused segments,” explains Krzysztof Domeradzki of the research company Kantar Polska.
In third place were two extremely different groups. One of them is shopping enthusiasts for whom buying is a passion. They follow all the trends and are extremely responsive to advertising and influencer feedback. They recorded a 3-p.p. decline. The second segment is the so-called priceholics. For them, the only thing that really matters in the whole buying process is the price. In their case, an increase of 2 p.p. was noted. Currently, both types of shoppers have a share of 16% among Polish shoppers.
– The price aspect is becoming increasingly important for the Polish consumer. And that’s what the aforementioned changes are based on. However, there is still a strong group of shoppers willing to buy new products. However, even the most enthusiastic approach to shopping has ceased to be spontaneous and has become more and more planned, combined with making shopping lists and keeping an eye on the household budget,” says Marcin Lenkiewicz.
As the expert from Kantar Polska points out, the pandemic and the uncertainty of tomorrow have forced Poles to be more cautious and prudent, at the expense of social responsibility. The ecological way of production of some brands has become less important than even six months ago, i.e., during the previous edition of the survey. Price is gaining in importance. Therefore, there are fewer and fewer informed connoisseurs among consumers.
– In last place, as before, are home shoppers. This group saw a drop from 6% to 5%, which I link to the loosening of restrictions on stationary work and restaurant operations. After returning to offices and opening restaurants, some respondents gave up frequent cooking of meals and returned to their shopping habits from before the hard lockdown – concludes an expert from Blix Group.