• by Karlene Lukovitz  @KLmarketdaily, March 31, 2009

Most U.S. adults -- 81% -- report making some effort to limit spending on groceries, and 40% report that they're eating less nutritious foods since they cut back, according to a study from Multi-sponsor Surveys conducted in late February.

The survey of 1,008 adults was weighted as necessary to be representative of U.S. Census profiles of the adult population.

More than one-quarter (28%) of adults report "strong" efforts and 53% report "some" efforts to cut back on food spending.

Not surprisingly, of the subgroups identified based on their current financial status, those most likely to report eating less nutritious food as a result of cutbacks are the two groups hit hardest by the recession: those who are "down and out" (65% eating less nutritiously) and those "on the edge" (59% eating less nutritiously). Among a third group, "hold-outs" -- mainly young people with low incomes -- 45% report eating less nutritiously.

However, even among the two best-off groups, "cautious optimists" and "secure spenders" (both older than the average population), 18% and 21%, respectively, said the food they are eating is less healthy.

Asked which foods they are eating more of in order to save money, respondents as a whole cited pasta/macaroni (44%), sandwiches (39%), soup (36%), eggs (36%), cold cereal (36%), bread (29%), peanut butter (28%), tuna fish (27%), beans (26%) and hot dogs (22%).

Purchases of discretionary and more expensive F&B items are being limited most.

Among those who currently consume alcohol, 63% reported limited spending on these beverages, with 14% of the total making "strong" efforts, and the rest "some" efforts. Other heavily affected categories include desserts (61%), organic F&B (56%), bottled water (52%), cold cereal (51%), cheese (49%), and seafood (47%). The numbers that report making strong efforts to cut back on these other categories ranged from 9% to 10% for cheese and cold cereal to 14% to 15% for alcohol and desserts.

 

The survey also covered other types of spending behavior in the current economy.

Although 49% indicated that they are still not willing to compromise their standard of living, 64% reported that they have already had to make "painful" cutbacks in spending this year, and 27% reported being extremely or very worried about paying bills. (Among the two least financially secure groups, the percentages agreeing to the latter statement were 57% and 49%.)

Overall, the areas showing the largest percentages of consumers making strong efforts to cut back are vacations (45%), dining out (45%), entertainment (44%) and clothing (43%). Least affected are children's expenses (19% making strong efforts to reduce), health care (29%), personal care products (23%) and transportation (27%).

In each of these categories, however, significant additional numbers indicated "some" efforts to cut back. The total percentages that indicate at least some spending reduction efforts ranged from 59% (health care) to 84% (clothing).