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STUDY: ANNUAL TRIPS TO SUPERMARKETS DECLINING

SCHAUMBURG, Ill. -- More households are opting to shop alternative channels on a more frequent basis, indicating a slow erosion of business away from traditional grocery stores, according to findings from ACNielsen's annual Channel Blurring study.makes to grocery stores has declined from 85 in 1998 to 75 in 2001.Supercenters and dollar stores appear to be picking up some of the business in terms of

SCHAUMBURG, Ill. -- More households are opting to shop alternative channels on a more frequent basis, indicating a slow erosion of business away from traditional grocery stores, according to findings from ACNielsen's annual Channel Blurring study.

makes to grocery stores has declined from 85 in 1998 to 75 in 2001.

Supercenters and dollar stores appear to be picking up some of the business in terms of growth in household penetration and annual shopping trips, the report indicates. Supercenter penetration has grown from 47% in 1998 to 63% in 2001. Annual supercenter trips have grown from 14 to 18 during the same period.

Meanwhile, dollar store penetration has grown from 47% to 59%, and annual trips rose from 9 to 11 during the same three-year period.

The study also reveals a big shift in consumer spending to Wal-Mart supercenters. Of the departments that ACNielsen tracked, Wal-Mart Supercenter sales growth came from 72% of shoppers who shifted dollars from other channels of trade. Existing shoppers who increased their spending accounted for 21% of the growth while 7% of the growth came from new shoppers, according to the study.

TAGS: Walmart