Studies Find Recession Induced Frugal Habits Becoming More Entrenched

October 24, 2011

Deemed by consumer experts as the "forever frugal," shoppers who cut back on purchases and traded down to cheaper products during the recession have yet to return to their old patterns, and they are doing more planning before heading out to a store, with about 75% of consumers using a shopping list, up from 45% three years ago.

Studies find that whether it is at the grocery store or drugstore, shoppers are buying about 10% less than they did before the recession.  Additionally, shoppers aren't just buying less, they are moving away from premium products to store brands, which many believe are equal to or better than national brands.  Approximately 20% of food and household items purchased today are store brand goods, up from 15% before the recession, and while price might attract shoppers to store brands, increasing quality may keep them buying it even as the economy improves.

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