Both men and women are now making the same number of visits to grocery stores each month. Here's insights into the habits of today's male grocery shopper.

1. Habits of the
Male Shopper
The Average Guy at
the Grocery Store

2. Don’t underestimate the importance of the male shopper.
More men are shopping frequently and making just as
many monthly store visits as women.
Shop at least
twice a week
Shop at least
twice a week
Men and women each shop three channels a week, averaging 15 visits a month.
Source: Food Shopping in America 2014 report hartman-group.com 2
©2016 The Hartman Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
THE AVERAGE GUY AT THE GROCERY STORE

3. Men are less likely to be the primary grocery shopper in the
household, often playing a supporting role in the food-
buying process.
of male
consumers
shopped two or
more stores on
recent trip
of female
consumers
shopped two or
more stores on
recent trip
49% 54%
Source: Food Shopping in America 2014 report hartman-group.com 3
©2016 The Hartman Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
THE AVERAGE GUY AT THE GROCERY STORE

4. 76%
53%
34%
21% 21%
15% 16%
13%
6%
75%
57%
28%
22%
15% 17% 15% 16%
4%
Compared to women, more men shop at club, convenience
and online channels, perhaps because these channels
allow them to quickly purchase what they need.
Primary reason for channel visit in the past 30 days: to buy food and beverages
Grocery Mass/
Supercenter
Club Specialty/
Natural
Convenience Dollar Drug Local Online
Source: Food Shopping in America 2014 report hartman-group.com 4
©2016 The Hartman Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
THE AVERAGE GUY AT THE GROCERY STORE

5. Compared to men, more women make most or all of the
household grocery-buying decisions.
How much of your household’s shopping for groceries are you responsible for?
Who influences the decision about what stores to visit? More men’s grocery
decisions are influenced by their spouses/partners (48%), likely because fewer
men are the primary shopper in the household.
Source: Food Shopping in America 2014 report hartman-group.com 5
©2016 The Hartman Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
THE AVERAGE GUY AT THE GROCERY STORE

6. Men and women plan and shop for groceries differently. Fewer
men plan out their trips, likely because they prefer to “grab-n-go”
rather than “browse and buy.”
Planning prior to store visit: top seven attributes
Shopping approach
More than half of male
shoppers (58%) say they
“usually know what I need
but browse anyway”
(compared to 64% of female
shoppers), and about one-
third of male shoppers (35%)
say they “seek out only the
items I need” (compared to
28% of female shoppers).
Source: Food Shopping in America 2014 report hartman-group.com 6
©2016 The Hartman Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
THE AVERAGE GUY AT THE GROCERY STORE

7. Source: Food Shopping in America 2014 report, The Hartman Group hartman-group.com 7
What do guys buy? Consistent with the notion that men play a
secondary role in food buying, their baskets are less varied than
women’s and more focused on meats and alcoholic beverages.
Differences in foods purchased (past 3 months)
THE AVERAGE GUY AT THE GROCERY STORE

8. Food for thought about the average guy in
the grocery store
• There is no denying that women drive a tremendous
amount of purchasing, but men are filling store aisles at
the same frequency as women across all channels.
• Almost half of all primary shoppers are male (47%).
• Men prepare less for their shopping trips; less than half
(48%) make a list prior to shopping.
• When shopping, the average guy in the grocery store
definitely prefers a “grab-n-go” approach.
• Don’t mistake male shoppers’ lack of planning and
“grab-n-go” trips for a willingness to accept items of
lesser quality with higher price tags. More males are
becoming interested in quality food, artisan products,
ethnic flavors and restaurant-inspired cooking.
Source: Food Shopping in America 2014 report hartman-group.com 8
©2016 The Hartman Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
THE AVERAGE GUY AT THE GROCERY STORE

9. ABOUT THE HARTMAN GROUP
For over 25 years, The Hartman Group has been a recognized thought
leader on demand-side trends in the food industry. We are 100 percent
focused on the food and beverage marketplace. Our expertise ranges
from how the smallest nuances of product design affect your product’s
ability to grow to devising portfolio strategies that maximize
sustainable, demand-led growth.
www.hartman-group.com
AT THE LEADING EDGE OF FOOD & BEVERAGE STRATEGY
ABOUT THE REPORT
The Hartman Group’s Food Shopping in America 2014 report
explores the great cultural transformation of channel selection and
shopping behavior. Fundamental cultural shifts have led to shopping
forays that often look nothing like traditional grocery shopping trips.
This reports explains how consumers now plan, decide, shop and
divide their loyalties in the era of unlimited choice and blurring of
channels. More: hartman-group.com/syndicatedresearch
©2016 The Hartman Group, Inc. All rights reserved.