5 Habits of Gen Z Shoppers That Grocers Should Heed

A panel of young shoppers and leaders in the industry affirmed that they think of loyalty differently and are inspired by social media before and during their shopping journey.

How influential is TikTok, really, and do viral video snippets translate into sales? Are grocers well advised to focus on e-commerce to gain traction among younger shoppers?

At Progressive Grocer’s recent Grocery Impact event in Orlando, a panel comprised of students and young professionals shared their thoughts on what brands and retailers can do to earn their share of wallet, whether it’s an actual wallet or digital wallet.

The Nov. 6 session, “Generational Strategies in Grocery,” featured input from Aidan Paciorek, a senior in the acclaimed food marketing program at Western Michigan University (WMU); his fellow student, junior Avree Blackmer; and Chris Adamski, marketing analyst at Northeast Shared Services and one of Progressive Grocer’s GenNext winners. The discussion was moderated by Dr. Russell Zwanka, director of the food marketing program and professor of category management and food marketing at WMU.

Students at WMU's Food Marketing Program took part in this year's Grocery Impact speaker lineup.

Here are five takeaways from the panelists:

Gen Z consumers shop multiple stores, differently. “A lot of the time, it’s about my goal for the day. I have very different shopping habits, whether it’s stocking up for an entire week or going specifically for one item,” reported Paciorek. Younger buyers can be loyal to products they like and stores that carry those products, but the notion of general loyalty to one particular store is more muted than in the past, the group agreed.
They look for deals across several sources. “I’m a little old school – I watched my parents circle things in the paper circular when I was younger, and I do that, too,” said Adamski. The panelists seek savings in other ways, including digital offers on store apps and in lower-priced private label products, and said that they like loyalty programs that offer perks for other purchases such as fuel. It’s key to communicate how to use and redeem discounts through loyalty programs, the panelists agreed.
Social media is a significant source of information, especially TikTok. Even if they don’t make the actual recipe that’s shown or suggested, that platform is often a starting point as inspiration for purchases, Blackmer pointed out.
E-commerce is a smaller part of their experience than in-store shopping, but younger shoppers appreciate the option if and when they need it and also like having different modes of fulfillment. “I mainly do it for home delivery, but I’ve also done curbside pickup before. I like the convenience of an e-commerce platform and it does help a bit on price, too – even if I am paying a fee, it can help me keep myself in check on my grocery shop,” said Adamski.
Fun is a priority. “I have the most random buys sometimes. I call them fun snacks, and I try to choose which ones I think would be enjoyable, especially for the season or what products are featured,” noted Blackmer.

In addition to providing insights on their experiences and preferences as shoppers, the panelists answered an audience question about what they look for in potential employers. “Flexibility is a big thing for me – being able to not worry about having to leave work early for whatever reason and knowing that as long as you are doing the job and making up those hours, you’re good,” said Paciorek. The other panelists also cited flexibility, both in scheduling and tasks.