Loosely defined as those born in 1995 and later, Generation Z has now come of age as a grocery shopping force in its own right. So what should you expect from America’s latest cohort of CPG buyers?
Some things (e.g. the importance of social, mobile and the digital world) will come as no surprise. But other things might. Not least, this is the savviest generation yet, and no amount of cool Insta images will make up for an absence of trustworthy customer feedback as a trust builder.
So the first tip is to avoid lazy assumptions, and the second is to take a look at some of the main trends that we’re actually seeing on the ground. Here they are…
Often described as digitally native, this doesn’t mean that Generation Z are digital only.
This is especially the case for grocery shopping. And while it’s the case that many of America’s centennials have sought to online shopping for their groceries, it is not necessarily their preferred destination for grocer shopping. Of the average $550 they spend each month on groceries, Gen Z households spend just $85 (15%) of this online. This is actually lower than their older millennial cousins (26%).
Gen Z seems to especially value autonomy, including the ability to choose their own produce and explore new products in the flesh. And while they are less willing and able to do a long commute, they enjoy the retailer in-store experience.
So while Gen Z may head instinctively to an online retailer to find out about your grocery brand, they are still highly likely to purchase in-store. It helps demonstrate just how important it is to provide a joined-up online/offline ‘omnichannel’ brand message and experience.