Study: Grocery shoppers create social recipe

Social media plays an important role in the grocery shopping process. According to a new study from market research firm Packaged Facts, “Retail Food Marketing Trends in the U.S.: Technology, Mobile, and Social Media,” a majority of grocery store shoppers use social media to get recipes (59%).



More than half of grocery store shoppers also use social media to compare prices between food brands, or access a supermarket website to check prices or find products or a sales flyer (54% each). And three out of 10 grocery shoppers go online to search for online grocery flyers, promotions/sales, look for coupons, conduct product research or look for recipes.



Not surprisingly, social media is far more likely to influence millennials' grocery purchase decisions. Social media is particularly influential among millennial men, adults with household income more than $50,000 per year, and those who are married with kids.



Millennial men emerge as 165% more likely than average to say social media advertising from supermarkets influenced their decision to buy a food/grocery product in last 12 months, followed closely by social media posts from friends/family, and social media post from supermarkets.



Similarly, middle-aged men skew higher in allowing social media to influence their buying habits. While women are often thought of as the social media mavens, the study suggests men are prime targets for social media advertising.



Millennial dads in particular are exhibiting behaviors that are a significant departure from previous generations. While younger men are certainly shopping more than their older counterparts, being a parent is a key driver in their likelihood to grocery shop.



Millennial dads are significantly more likely than average to shop for groceries four or more times a week. And frequent social media posts are effective in influencing millennials who are married with kids to purchase food/grocery products.