The document summarizes findings from a national consumer agency's market research on grocery shopping in Ireland. It provides details on the research methodology and sample profile. Key findings include that price and convenience are the main factors influencing choice of grocery store. Around half of consumers report changing what or where they shop since the start of the year, with cutting back on treats being the most common change. Awareness of everyday goods prices remains high among those responsible for grocery shopping.

1. National Consumer Agency
Market Research Findings:
Grocery Shopping
August 2010
Research Conducted by

2. Research Background and Methodology
2
Nov/Dec 2007 Aug 2008 Nov/Dec 2008
Benchmark Wave 1 Wave 2
May/June 2009 Nov/Dec 2009 June 2010
Making Complaints
Wave 3 Wave 4 Wave 5
Current Wave
• Amárach Research conducted the research by means of face-to-face interviewing
with 1,000 people between the ages of 15-74.
• In all, 6 comparable “Waves” of Market Research have been completed since
November / December 2007.
• To ensure that the data is nationally representative, quotas were applied on the
basis of age, gender and social class.
• Interviewing was conducted over a four week period in June 2010.

3. Profile of Sample – I
(Base: All aged 15-74 – 1,000)
3
MARITAL SOCIAL
SEX AGE STATUS CLASS MAIN GROCERY
% % % % SHOPPER
15-24
20 Married
Male ABC1 46%
46 41 41 Yes 54% No
25-34
Making Complaints
25
Living as
Married
35-44 10
19 C2DE
Single 47
Female 45-54 37
54 16
55+ 20 Wid/Div/
8
F50+/
9
Sep F50-
Not stated 4 Not stated 3

4. Profile of Sample – II – Main Grocery Shoppers
(Base: All Mainly Responsible for Grocery Shopping in Home – 535)
4
MARITAL SOCIAL
SEX AGE STATUS CLASS 54%
% 15-24 % % %
(20)
Male 5
(46)
25 25-34
(25) 25 Married ABC1
(41) 42
(41) 48
Making Complaints
35-44
(19) 25
Living as
Married 11
(10)
Female
(54)
75 20 C2DE 45
45-54 (47) ( ) = Total Sample
(16) Single
(37)
24
55+ Wid/Div/
(20) 25 Sep 13 F50+/F50-
(8) (9) 9
Not stated 4 Not stated 4
Those who were responsible for the main grocery shop within the household were
more likely to be female and over the age of 34.

5. 5
Grocery Shopping
Making Complaints

6. 6
Key Findings
• Price continues to be the key driver of choice of the main grocery shop, followed by
convenience – both increasing in importance since the previous wave.
• The number of grocery shoppers that have changed what they buy or where they shop
since the start of the year has fallen back to just under 1 in 2.
• Making Complaints
Cutting back on treats remains the number one change to the grocery shop since the start
of the year although this has fallen back slightly since Nov/Dec 2009. Those responsible
for the main grocery shop are now more likely to be spreading their shopping over
different stores in order to get the best value – up 12% from the previous wave.
• 4 in 5 consumers responsible for the main grocery shop would prefer to see supermarkets
offering more long term lower prices as opposed to regular promotions and special offers.
• 7 in 10 Irish consumers claim to be aware of the prices of everyday goods such as bread,
milk and a litre of petrol.

7. Overall Awareness of the Price of Everyday Goods
(Base: All aged 15-74 – 1,000)
7
All responsible for the main grocery shop – 535
(54%)
Wave 5 Wave 4 Wave 3
( ) = Wave 4 2009 Total
2010 2009 2008
% % % %
Very aware of the prices (5) 22 71%
(22) aware 32 34 38
of
Making Complaints
prices
86% 89%
87%
Fairly aware of the prices (4) 49
(48)
56 55 49
Don't really know the prices (3) 13
(12)
Somewhat unaware of the prices (2) 9 (10) 5 5
5
Not at all aware of the prices (1) 7 (8) 5 4 5
2 2 3
As with the previous wave, 7 in 10 Irish consumers claim to be aware of the prices of everyday
goods such as bread, milk and a litre of petrol. Consistently so; the majority of those responsible for
the main grocery shop within the household are more likely to be aware (86%) – however this has
fallen back slightly since the previous wave.

8. Main Reasons for Choice of Main Grocery Shop
(Base: All main grocery shoppers – 535)
54%
8
Wave 5 2010 Wave 4 2009 Wave 3 2009 Wave 2 2008
Main Reasons
% % % %
Price 70 62 58 60
Convenience 55 43 49 47
Parking 20 18 17 20
Late night opening Making Complaints
12 9 8 15
Quality of Product 12 10 11 13
Loyalty 10 10 8 6
Support local shops 6 6 6 6
Other 4 2 4 5
Price continues to be the key driver of choice of the main grocery shop, followed by
convenience – both increasing in importance since the previous wave.

9. Change in Grocery Shopping Since the Start of the
Year
9
(Base: All main grocery shoppers – 535)
% 54%
Male (45%) 39%
Female (58%) 47% Yes
Making Complaints
45%
55%
No
(55%)
ABC1 (56%) 47% (45%)
C2DE (59%) 45%
The number of grocery shoppers that have changed what they buy or where
they shop since the start of the year has fallen back to just under 1 in 2.

10. Changes Made to the Grocery Shopping Since the
Start of the Year
(Base: All who changed their shopping 24%
10
behaviour since the start of the year – 240)
Wave 5 2010 Wave 4 2009 Wave 3 2009
Changes to Grocery Shopping % % %
Cutting back on treats for you/family 53 56 (+14%) 42
Buying cheaper versions of products (e.g. 36 36 40
own brands rather than regular)
Taking more advantage of special offers, 48 53 (+15%) 38
using coupons, etc.
Making Complaints
Buy less 43 46 (+12%) 34(+14%)
Spreading your grocery shopping over
different supermarkets and stores to get the 35(+12%) 23 26(-8%)
best value
Switched your main grocery shopping from 10 11 16
a different retailer to the one you use now
Started shopping up North (across the 9 13 14
boarder)
Do without or cut back e.g. buy less meat 14 12 12
Cutting back on treats remains the number one change to the grocery shop since the start of the year although
this has fallen back slightly since Nov/Dec 2009. Those responsible for the main grocery shop are now more
likely to be spreading their shopping over different stores in order to get the best value – up 12% from the
previous wave.

11. Price Cuts & Special Offers -1
(Base: All responsible for the main grocery shop - 535)
11
What would you prefer to see
more of within supermarkets?
54%
Regular Promotions
& Special Offers
Don’t know 17%
(7%)
Making2%
Complaints (16%)
Long Term
Lower Prices
81%
(77%)
4 in 5 consumers responsible for the main grocery shop would prefer to see supermarkets
offering more long term lower prices as opposed to regular promotions and special offers.

12. Price Cuts & Special Offers -2
(Base: All responsible for the main grocery shop – 535)
12
Total Male Female ABC1 C2DE
(535) (134) (401) (222) (240)
% % % % %
Long term lower prices 81 81 82 82 83
Regular promotions & 17 18 16 18 15
special offers
Don’t know 2 1 2 – 2
Making Complaints
15-24* 25-34 35-44 45-54 55+
(24) (134) (135) (103) (135)
% % % % %
Long term lower prices 79 82 82 84 79
Regular promotions &
21 16 17 14 20
special offers
Don’t know – –
2 1 2 1
4 in 5 consumers responsible for the main grocery shop would prefer to see supermarkets offering more long
term lower prices as opposed to regular promotions and special offers – this is consistent across all
demographic breaks, with C2DEs and those aged 45-54 slightly more inclined to say so.
* Caution small base size