Sweet treats and chips are the first to be put back on the shelf as grocery bills creep higher, reveals new research.
Conducted by YouGov and commissioned by ShopFully, the research showed that 56 per cent of Australians are opting not to buy sweet treats when their grocery bill gets too high, this is followed up chips and savoury snacks at 47 per cent, alcohol at 35 per cent, and soft drinks at 31 per cent.
Brendan Straw, Country Manager of ShopFully Australia, said Australians are clearly feeling the pressure of rising costs, and the research shows they’re making increasingly tough choices at the checkout.
“While impulse buying is part of our shopping culture, it’s interesting to see how priorities shift when the bill starts to add up.”
Younger shoppers are more likely to return everyday essentials, with Gen Z and Millennials more likely to return dairy products (24 per cent and 23 per cent) and fruit and veg (22 per cent and 18 per cent).
For families who have children under the age of 18, items like meat and fish are more likely to be put back (23 per cent compared to 18 per cent), dairy products (20 per cent compared to 14 per cent), and fruit and vegetables (20 per cent compared to 9 per cent) when their grocery budget is strained.
The research also showed that women are more likely to splurge on personal care products without thinking but are also more likely to return these items to the shelf when looking to cut costs (21 per cent compared to 15 per cent for men).
Households earning more than $150,000 per annum are the least likely to put back meat or fish due to a higher grocery bill at 11 per cent.
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