Mark Hilliard
Women are more likely to make impulse grocery purchases than men, according to a new survey.
However, a typical male shopper has a higher chance of switching brands or snapping up a special offer.
Exactly how genders behave behind a supermarket trolley is the focus of new research released by Checkout magazine, conducted by Empathy Research.
Almost half of women (49 per cent) claim sole responsibility for shopping for their household, compared to just under one third of men (30 per cent).
In addition, married women (43 per cent) are considerably more likely than married men (15 per cent) to do the household shop.
The study found 40 per cent of female shoppers likely to make an impulse purchase every time they shop (15 per cent do so “all the time”), compared to 29 per cent of male shoppers (6 per cent “all the time”).
“While this study indicates the subtle differences between how men and women conduct their weekly shop, both sexes have more in common than may have been previously thought,” said Stephen Wynne-Jones Checkout editor.
“Arguably the biggest difference, however, is seen in the shopping habits of married men compared to single men - married men tend to have significantly less responsibility for doing the shopping, and are considerably more attentive when doing so.”
Men are actually found to be marginally more swayed by special offers with 87 per cent saying special offers tended to be an influence. That figure compared to 83 per cent of women.
In addition, men are more likely (76 per cent) than women (71 per cent) to switch brand to avail of a special offer.
"What's interesting is the level of impulse purchases claimed amongst shoppers and the fact that women are more likely to be partaking in impulse purchasing," said Robbie Clarke, director of Empathy Research.
“This perhaps puts pay to a common misconception that men are more impulsive and unplanned when they are shopping.”
The survey was conducted across a nationally-representative sample of 500 grocery shoppers aged 18 and over.
