Holiday grocery shopper insights CPGs must know this season

As the holiday season approaches, consumer packaged goods (CPG) brands are already beginning to plan for festive gatherings, gifting and meals. While concerns around inflation and other financial constraints haven’t disappeared, shoppers are still making preparations for holiday meals. They’re also continuing to evolve their shopping habits as they look for new ways to increase convenience, hunt for deals and improve their overall shopping experience.

To win these shoppers in stores and online, brands need to understand these new preferences and expectations. A new report from 84.51° reveals some key insights that will help brands make it easy for grocery shoppers to get what they need, in the ways that they want.

Grocery shopper insight #1: Brands have an opportunity to engage price-sensitive holiday shoppers by driving value

Inflation is still on the minds of shoppers, and they’re anticipating that high prices will affect their holiday plans. The top areas shoppers expect high prices to impact include discretionary spending (45%), travel plans (38%), going out to eat (38%) and purchasing gifts (36%). While these numbers are similar to our survey results from the 2022 holiday season, all of them are slightly higher than a year ago.

As shoppers look for ways to strike a balance between enjoying holiday treats and traditions while keeping their budgets in check, brands can gain attention and offer solutions with personalized coupons and emphasizing the value their product provides.

To connect with price-sensitive shoppers, brands must understand and address their needs. Some ways to do that include providing value-based deals and discounts, showcasing budget-friendly recipes using your brand’s products, and offering loyalty incentives such as exclusive discounts during the holiday season. Community initiatives, educational resources on smart shopping tactics, and in-store sampling are also great ways to engage with shoppers.

Grocery shopper insight #2: Brand loyalty for centerpiece dishes is softening

The holidays are a time for traditions - comforting, familiar dishes that have been passed down through generations. However, our research indicates shoppers are less beholden to specific brands when it comes to their traditional holiday meal centerpieces and sides. While ham, turkey, cranberries, and pie remain holiday dinner staples, shoppers are not showing the same brand loyalty year-over-year according to recent data. This provides an opening for CPG brands in these categories to get creative and proactively showcase how their products can enhance shoppers' holiday favorites. With shoppers open to new options, brands have an opportunity to differentiate with unique offerings and remind shoppers why their turkey, ham, or pie should grace the holiday table. Suggestions include: Limited edition products Introduce special holiday editions or seasonal flavors to create excitement and a sense of urgency that your brand is a must-have this year. Limited products pair perfectly as a complementary item to your brand's holiday centerpiece dish. Strategic collaborations Look for opportunities to collaborate on holiday bundles or cross-promotions with other brands shoppers turn to for their holiday prep and meals. Partnerships with complementary brands or influencers allow you to expand your reach and tap into new audiences. Inspire new traditions Provide shoppers with innovative recipes, tips, and inspiration focused on creating new traditions and making old favorites fresh again. Showcase all the ways your product can upgrade traditional dishes and be incorporated into new holiday side dishes or desserts.

Learn more about how shopper attitudes will be shaping this holiday shopping season

This holiday season will see new consumer attitudes and behaviors in response to economic conditions and the continued growth of omnichannel shopping. The brands who understand these shifts will be best positioned to win in-store and online. To discover what’s changing about the shopper experience this year, read our new white paper, From tradition to transformation: Examining holiday shopping trends and evolving customer habits.

DOWNLOAD THE WHITE PAPER