Study: A majority of millennials shop online for groceries

When it comes to shopping for groceries, millennials are apparently no fan of supermarkets.



Nearly two-thirds of millennials shop online weekly for groceries, and this demographic has the potential to transform the retail grocery business, according to new research released by Clavis Insight.



Health and wellness products are what millennials purchase most, with 69% shopping in this category at least once a month. Millennials also frequent the pet category, with 25% of those surveyed making a weekly purchase in this category, according to the research.



Conversely, the 55-plus demographic is much less likely to shop online for personal care and beauty items, with only 54% saying they did so in the past month compared to 91% of Millennials.



Clavis Insight also found that more than four-in-10 millennials use a mobile device as their primary shopping device, indicating that online grocers “need to ensure that they have their sites optimized for mobile shopping.



Other insights from the Clavis Insight study were:



69% of Millennials use smartphones to research products while in brick-and-mortar locations. 67% of shoppers are checking the price, 25% are checking ratings and reviews, and 9% are looking for more information about the product.



Older generations are slow to catch on to mobile shopping, as only 28% of 35-54 year olds and 18% of 55+ year olds using a mobile device as their primary shopping device.



Of those surveyed, fresh groceries and household products were the most popular online categories shopped for in the past month, with almost 90% each. However, when it comes to an actual purchase, clothing (70%) and electronics (52%) were the most purchased categories.



84% of those aged 35-54 shop online for groceries at least once a month, with 72% shopping on a desktop or laptop. Pets (34%), household items (34%) and health/wellness (39%) were the most researched categories among this age group.



Cost was the number one driver for online purchases- showing that shoppers value online as a cost-effective alternative to in-store shopping. Convenience and need were also significant drivers for online purchases.



Clavis Insight analyzed online shopping habits of 500 U.S. consumers, looking at frequency, preferred method of shopping and key performance indicators critical to driving online purchases.