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Survey: Consumers Seeking Value This Holiday Season

Based on her company’s work studying consumer trends, Sarah O’Grady sees consumers on the hunt for deals this holiday season.

“Last year, lockdowns made in-person shopping challenging,” said O’Grady, vice president of brand marketing at Vericast. “With the holiday season upon us, consumers want to make up for lost time after such a disruptive 2020. Retailers can capitalize on this by offering deals and discounts – online and in-store – that make holiday shopping more affordable and meets consumers where they are.”

Vericast, a marketing solutions company, recently released an online survey which revealed a few noteworthy trends of relevance to the food industry. For example, 71% of consumers surveyed agree it’s important to support local businesses like restaurants.

Here’s a breakdown of other key findings in Vericast’s latest report, which surveyed 1,000 people to gauge current consumer sentiment and shopping behavior:

SAVINGS A KEY CONSIDERATION

Vericast’s research indicates that consumers are more than willing to shop both online and at brick-and-mortar retailers if deals can be found. In fact, most consumers expect value when shopping this holiday season.

  • 78% of consumers increased their saving behaviors during the pandemic and 84% of consumers surveyed plan to continue that trend over the next year.
  • 59% wished there were more coupons available during the 2020 holiday season and that sentiment was even higher among millennials (68%) and parents (68%)
  • 49% said they would shop online more if they could use more coupons
  • The categories people were most interested in receiving a discount, coupon or offer for this season included grocery (61%), and restaurants (45%).

HOLIDAY OPTIMISM RETURNING

The Vericast survey also revealed a general desire among consumers to return to a measure of normalcy this holiday season.

About 59% of survey respondents said they felt optimistic about the upcoming 2021 holiday season. Spending on holiday gatherings is expected to increase, the report showed.

  • 74% believe hosting or attending holiday gatherings with family or friends will occur
  • 93% of those planning to host holiday gatherings say they will spend the same or more than last year
  • Among those who plan to spend more, 37% will spend more to enhance the guest experience, such as by purchasing more expensive food.