YouGov: shoppers increasingly switching between retailers in search of value and personalisation

The findings from the YouGov Shopper Panel, which monitors a sample of over 18.000 households representative of the 26,5 million households resident in our country, reveal a complex reality in which multichannel shopping as a conscious choice predominates.

The touchpoints

There are 5,5 retailer touchpoints that shoppers say they always or often use when buying fast-moving consumer goods, with paper leaflets (used by 51,6% of consumers) and digital ones (51,4%) emerging as the favourites. Families seek value, but the importance of personalisation also emerges, as demonstrated by the relevance of customised offers on apps or in loyalty areas (43,6%), coupons obtained after previous purchases (37,5%) and personalised promotions received while shopping (34,9%).

Broader loyalty

Utility and relevance are the other main needs of shoppers, who are also looking for tools capable of helping them plan and manage their purchases and guide their choices in a hypercompetitive environment exposed to numerous messages. Almost 3 Italians out of 5 regularly visit 5 or 6 channels for their shopping, which collectively generates 60,7% of the total value of fast-moving consumer goods; on average, each family visits 9,5 retailers and holds 6 loyalty cards.

Generational differences

In this pronounced fragmentation, clearly defined elements and trends nevertheless emerge that can help operators build a relevant relationship with their customers and respond to the needs arising during the customer journey. While it is true that, overall, paper and digital leaflets have practically the same reach, analysis of the different target groups reveals significant differences. Young people without children use digital leaflets in 64% of cases, while paper leaflets account for 41%; among pensioners without children, the ratio is reversed (51% VS 41%). Among retailer properties, half of Italians (50,3%) use loyalty programmes and digital coupons, but the percentage rises significantly among families with young children and young people without children (respectively 63% and 62%).

It is precisely young people without children who represent the most digitalised target group, recording high penetration (23%, above the national average of 15,5%) in the use of more innovative in-store touchpoints, such as digital screens or totems. This familiarity with digital technology is accompanied by a strong focus on value, resulting in higher levels of engagement thanks to their propensity to consult supermarket apps (59%) and personalised offers in loyalty areas or retailers' applications (54%).

Comments

“Retailer touchpoints are multiplying and joining other digital and traditional communication media, creating new opportunities to reach consumers who are increasingly open to personalisation. Data and insights that provide a holistic understanding of shoppers enable brands and retailers to make the most of every point of contact through integrated communication and activation strategies, and personalised, relevant messages that are consistent with the context,” commented Elisa Pucci, media solutions lead at YouGov Shopper.

“Retail media serves to cover the customer journey, which is even more relevant in today's omnichannel environment. We believe that measurability should represent a systemic approach, in order to guarantee added value for touchpoints and enable operators to identify the best and most strategic ones in business terms,” stated Luca Ravazzoni, shopper marketing & retail media sssociate director at Barilla Group, who spoke at the webinar presenting the data.

This article was translated from the original Italian version with the assistance of artificial intelligence. In case of discrepancies, please refer to the original Italian version.