Holiday Outlook Somewhere Between Merry and Bright: Report
If last year was a wonky holiday season during a pandemic surge and accompanying restrictions, this year is also shaping up to be a little more non-traditional than usual. According to the new “U.S. Grocery Shopper Trends Tracker: Holidays,” report from FMI — the Food Industry Association, shoppers are still planning to celebrate the holidays as they did before the pandemic, but are mindful of product shortages, prices and ongoing COVID-19 concerns.
The latest FMI research shows that 58% of shoppers have some concerns about being able to purchase groceries needed for holiday meals, tracking with similar sentiments over the summer. Wary of possible supply issues, 18% of consumers say they plan to start Thanksgiving shopping earlier this year.
Regularly in the news, inflation is also on the minds of shoppers as the winter holiday season gets underway. Although consumers are aware of and keeping a close eye on higher food costs, average household grocery spending is steady at about $144 per week, down from the peak pandemic high of $161 a week in 2020.
While abating across many parts of the country, the pandemic is still impacting beliefs and behaviors in the marketplace. About half of shoppers say that COVID-19 will once again affect their holiday celebrations, with some reporting that they will likely hold smaller gathering and watch crowded events like parades and games from home.
“Consumers remain aware of pandemic impacts on the supply chain, but most are confident that with some planning they will find their favorite foods at reasonable prices and share traditional menu with loved ones this holiday season,” said Leslie G. Sarasin, president and CEO of the Washington, D.C.-based FMI. “Both grocers and consumers have demonstrated tremendous resilience over the last year, and shoppers are excited about a cautious return to normalcy for their holiday gatherings this year.”
Grocers can take heart in another finding in FMI’s trends tracker: A robust 76% of shoppers say they are satisfied with their primary grocery store’s response to the pandemic thus far.
