ATLANTA — Brian Darr, managing director, Datassentials Research, kicked off a line-up of seminars at the International Dairy-Deli-Bakery Association's Dairy-Deli-Bake seminar and expo here yesterday with some startling statistics that show how much today's consumer differs from yesterday's.
The data Darr summarized show that nearly two-thirds of consumers report having less money to spend than they did two years ago. What's more, just 6% said they felt very secure financially, less than half (49%) said they're doing OK, and a full 45% said they're having difficulty making ends meet.
Darr related that to the food world, noting that 71% of respondents said they're eating out less than they were a year ago, and 76% said they're eating at home more frequently. But, significantly, only 5% said they're buying more of their meals from the supermarket deli.
In view of that finding, Darr urged delis to offer more meal deals and to price by the portion instead of by the pound. "People today are not only price-conscious, but they're also price-vigilant. They want to know how much it'll cost to feed the family dinner."
The IDDBA-commissioned research, completed this spring by Datassentials involved surveying 3,500 consumers, interviewing retail executives and making visits to stores.
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