• by Jack Loechner , Staff Writer @mp_research, May 18, 2004

Ad Inserts Drive the Women to the Store

The new Customer Focus 2004: Grocery study by Vertis, reveals that 71 percent of female chief grocery shoppers (those responsible for 60% or more of household grocery shopping) who read advertising inserts make lists and plan their grocery shopping trips based on items they see advertised in advertising inserts or circulars.

Therese Mulvey, vice president marketing research at Vertis, says "Grocery marketers... should consider the significant role this medium has in determining which items are purchased and where..." Additional findings from the 2004 study which provide insight into the differences in consumers' grocery purchase plans and trends:

Media

- 28 percent of total adults surveyed indicated that advertising inserts and circulars most influence their buying decisions, six percent more than those most influenced by television.

- 84 percent of women indicated that they read Sunday advertising inserts in the past seven days, compared to 79 percent of total adults.

- 69 percent of women indicated that they had read an advertising insert in the weekday newspaper in the last seven days, compared to 66 percent of total adults

- 21 percent of female chief grocery shoppers said they read all available advertising inserts or circulars.

- 48 percent of Generation X (1965-1976) women who are grocery advertising insert readers said they regularly use coupons received from grocery advertising inserts or circulars.

The Chief Grocery Shoppers

- 85 percent of women indicated that they personally conduct 60 percent or more of the grocery shopping for their household in 2004, while only 50 percent of the men surveyed indicated that they conduct 60 percent or more of the grocery shopping.

Media Influence

Which of the following media most influences your buying decisions?

	1999	2000	2002	2004
Inserts and Circulars	23%	23	22	28
Television	26	23	22	22
Ads (on page) of Newspaper	16	22	19	18
Magazines	9	5	6	5
Radio	6	5	6	5
Direct Mail	4	4	3	4
Internet	na	4	4	4
e-Mail	na	na	na	1
Catalogs	na	na	10	6

Source: Vertis Customer Focus, Retail 2004 Universe: Total Adults

Find out more here.