Moms Influence Consumers’ Food Perceptions, Purchases

Mothers have a substantial impact on consumers' purchase patterns and cooking habits in adulthood, according to “The Mom Influence,” a FoodThink white paper by Sullivan Higdon & Sink (SHS).

In the ever-expanding food market, consumers are inundated with choices, and brands often struggle to stand out. Understanding the hereditary influence moms have on consumers' choices is the food marketer's first step toward cutting through the clutter.

"We buy what our mothers bought, to state it simply,” said Tom Bertels, SHS FoodThink leader. “FoodThink research shows the potential for brand loyalty is especially high with consumers younger than 45, and with today's moms."

Moms not only affect the shopping choices consumers make, they also remain trusted sources of food-related information. Over one-third (35 percent) of adults confess to still calling their moms with cooking questions, and two-thirds (66 percent) of FoodThink respondents say they still prepare certain recipes the way their mothers did.

"We found that the mom influence didn't stop at the grocery store, it carried into consumers' kitchens too,” Bertels added. “It's not just what we buy, it's also why we buy certain types of food – like free-range eggs or whole-grain breads – and how we use them to feed ourselves and our families from quick weeknight dinners to the most elaborate of holiday meals."

“The Mom Influence” was built on proprietary research from nearly 1,500 consumers, designed to provide food marketers and producers a closer look at the impact moms have on consumers' purchase patterns and cooking habits.

Sullivan Higdon & Sink is a full-service advertising and marketing agency with offices in Kansas City, Wichita and Washington, D.C.