Survey: Moms influenced by coupons

Chicago - An overwhelming majority (89%) of moms are regularly influenced by coupons to try new food and drink products. Conducted by online community Womensforum.com, the "Womensforum.com Supermarket Moms Survey" of 2,200 moms also finds nearly half (49%) of grocery-seeking moms see it as a frequent occurrence.



When it comes to what kinds of foodstuffs end up in their carts, coupons prompted survey respondents to make more new product purchases down the snack food aisle (73%) than elsewhere in the store. But, the study shows that coupons still hold a great deal of sway beyond newfangled potato chips and pretzels, heavily inspiring moms to buy new products in other categories as well, including:



• Frozen food (72%)



• Cereal (62%)



• Beverages (57%)



• Dairy (55%)



• Breads/bakery (42%)



This balance shifts slightly depending upon the age of the mom in question, with those older than 50 more inclined to purchase a new frozen food item rather than a new snack food.



Pointing to parity between digital and print discovery among supermarket-shopping moms, nearly half of those surveyed (46%) said that they learned about these new grocery products though online advertising – the same number that said they were exposed to new food and drink products through traditional newspaper advertising.



Hometown supermarket circulars and word-of-mouth (65% versus 51%) are also deemed powerful tools for finding out about the latest products to hit the shelves. And, contributing to the impact of the latter, 33% said they heard about new food and beverage items through their social media circles.



Print media and supermarket circulars take the lead when it comes to finding coupons (78% versus 65%), but more than half of those surveyed (55%) say they often get coupons online, with nearly four-in-10 also uncovering them on food or frugal-living blogs that share cost-saving finds.



“The power of the coupon hasn't faded in the digital era, but has taken on new life, as women search for savings across a range of channels," said Mark Kaufman, founder and CEO, Womensforum.com.



"Moms are tapping into a variety of sources in order to discover the latest and greatest products to put in their supermarket carts," added Kaufman. "Food and beverage marketers can only ignore digital at their peril, since it is clear that a healthy media mix is necessary in order to capture her attention, and ultimately win a coveted spot on her grocery shopping list."