Replanning consumers, replanning retailers
A 1,000-respondent survey conducted by KPMG in the summer of 2022, titled “Consumer Pulse Survey”, has found that rising prices made consumers change their shopping habits: they now spend their money differently and in different places. 87% are worried about the inflation and 72% expects a recession in the year to come. 55% think a further price increase is inevitable and 51% are afraid that they won’t even be able to buy the essential products.
Shopping trolley instead of online basket
Six out of 10 consumers plan to cut back on their spending. 14% claimed they will pay greater attention to promotions. During the pandemic e-commerce was booming, but in the present situation US consumers are returning to brick-and-mortar stores from online shops. According to the KPMG study, in most product categories the majority of respondents prefer doing the shopping themselves once again. The slowdown in online sales can be seen clearly in the fashion and toy categories.
Retailers also need to adapt
As shopping habits are shifting from desired products to essential ones, retailers and consumer goods manufacturers have to adapt to these changes. Now that shoppers are more price-sensitive than before, discounters see their positions strengthening in the market. Erika Halász, senior manager of KPMG: “We are facing a period when everything is uncertain. In conditions like these, the firms working in retail trade have to watch the market closely, focusing on the flexibility of their channels, and on establishing the necessary data analytics and logistics background.” //
This article is available for reading in Trade magazin 2022/11.
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