Buying food bearing a “reduced” label no longer comes with stigma attached to it, as a study reveals more and more shoppers take pride in bagging a bargain.
According to Waitrose’s Food & Drink Report 2017-2018, released today, 53 per cent of shoppers buy from the reduced section more often than they did five years ago.
For 18 to 24-year-olds, the figure is 68 per cent.
Twenty-six per cent of consumers believe there is no longer a stigma attached to buying reduced food, with 67 per cent saying they are better at getting a good deal than they were five years ago while 37 per cent hate seeing food go to waste.
“Britain has become a nation of agile, price-savvy value-hunters,” the report says.
“Our survey found that we’re not afraid to hunt out special offers or buy food from the ‘reduced’ shelf to save money.
“Customers enjoy exercising control over their budgets and tracking down the best deals.”
It adds: “There is no snobbishness about mixing and matching between brands or budget ranges, using our increased knowledge to get the best deal.
“It’s less about saving money, and more about not wasting it.”
However, when it comes to meat, wine, chocolate, coffee and toilet rolls, consumers were less willing to buy them at reduced prices.
“If we do need to make cutbacks, we’re more likely to reduce the amount we buy, rather than choose a lower quality,” the report says.
The survey also found that 65 per cent of Brits now visit a supermarket more than once a day on a regular or occasional basis.
“We no longer need to plan meals in advance as it’s so easy to shop for whatever we want at the last minute,” the report says.
“A third of us don’t decide what to have for dinner until at least 4pm that day, with 11 per cent of us making a selection just before we eat.”
