Online grocery shopping may be the wave of the future, but at least for now, the vast majority of Americans still prefer to go to a brick-and-mortar store, according to a new survey.
About 99 percent of adults buy some or all of their groceries in person, according to “The State of Grocery Shopping,” a new survey by the New York-based International Council of Shopping Centers.
The reasons for preferring brick-and-mortar to online are many, the council survey found. Seventy-one percent of those polled said they like physical stores because they want immediate access to products; 70 percent said they want to select their own fresh meat, dairy and produce; and 69 percent said they like to be able to see all of their options and select them in person.
“The grocery sector remains relatively unimpacted by the growth in e-commerce sales,” says Tom McGee, the council’s president and CEO. “Consumers are heavily invested in the types of food they purchase and they want to be able to select the best and the freshest to take home.”
Nearly three of our four online grocery consumers pick up their orders at a store, according to the council. The survey also found that the average America shops at 5.4 different types of grocery retailers. Ninety-three percent shop at discount department stores, 92 percent at traditional supermarkets, 69 percent at limited assortment food stores and 69 percent at warehouse club stores.
The survey also included substantial data on the shopping habits of millennials. Millennials shop at 5.9 different types of grocery stores, and nearly one in four shop for groceries three or more times a week. And even when ordering online, 81 percent of millennials go to the store to pick up their order.
Compared to older Americans, a significantly higher percentage of millennials buy groceries from convenience stores (74 percent), Amazon and other online retailers (67 percent) and high-end supermarkets (66 percent).