The double-digit price increase that most categories of fresh products have experienced in the last year pushes consumers to look for and implement strategies that allow them to continue saving. This has caused, according to a recent study by the Association of Manufacturers and Distributors (AECOC), that 68% of consumers have changed their purchasing habits for perishable foods. They buy less than before, preferably in bulk, and they go in search of offers and promotions that help reduce their food bill.
A relevant fact is that, despite inflation, the vast majority of those surveyed – 78% – take the appearance of the food more into account than the price or brand factor when making their choice. “As consumers are increasingly concerned about eating a healthy and balanced diet, they try to incorporate a greater number of quality fresh products in their shopping basket. A growing trend in recent years and one of the behaviors that most resists price increases,” explains Marta Munné, head of studies at the association.
As can be seen in the graph, the price of perishable foods is 9% higher than a year ago, according to the latest data - from September - published by the National Institute of Statistics (INE). Potatoes, pork, legumes, eggs, butter, bakery products - such as biscuits and cakes - and pizzas are part of the list of perishable foods that have become more expensive.
"The consumer, since he does not want to give up this type of product, changes the composition of the shopping basket," says Munné. To achieve this, they adopt new habits or intensify them, among which the search for promotions and offers and choosing establishments based on price stands out, despite the fact that the purchase of items has traditionally been done in trusted or reference stores.
Added to this is the tendency towards a lower stockpile during each visit to the supermarket, despite the fact that the average ticket remains practically unchanged - around 34 euros - compared to a year ago. On average, each consumer purchases 18.4 products, compared to the 21.8 items they purchased in 2022. An austere behavior that 38% combine with purchasing more food in bulk, which Munné attributes to the fact that in this way "the consumer has the perception that he can control the amounts better and, therefore, spends what is strictly necessary.
As can be seen in the graph above, the majority say that they buy meat, fish, fruits and vegetables cut or in bulk, and to a lesser extent they choose to purchase these packaged products. A format in which more meat is consumed than fish, fruits and vegetables. Although the majority of consumers choose to buy fresh foods in bulk or cut, "some say they prefer to buy packaged because they can see the final price of the product and this helps them rationalize purchases," AECOC clarifies.
The report highlights the tendency to reduce the collection of organic and local products. "They provide added value and the consumer is aware of this differential feature, but it is also true that they are a little more expensive [in general]," says Munné.
Another strategy to try to save without giving up fresh ones is to switch to cheaper varieties. For example, "in the case of meat, replace steaks or sirloin with chicken or, in the case of fruit, buy fewer mangoes and more apples or seasonal varieties; it is a way to follow a balanced diet but choosing another type of products," he argues.
But are perishable foods more expensive than those that can be preserved for a long time? 32% of consumers think that filling the shopping basket represents a greater financial effort. "They go up in price just like the rest," Munné answers. In fact, the price increase was very similar to that of food and non-alcoholic beverages as a whole. The problem for the consumer lies in the fact that "the unit price is generally higher than that of the non-perishable product, with some exceptions." And that is why in the current situation there is a tendency to choose cheaper options.
