With just under half of shoppers buying once a month or less, the rice category has one of the lowest purchasing frequencies we have captured since conducting our monthly research for The Grocer.
One would expect shoppers to struggle to find an item they are not buying every week. But the average buying time, at just 29 seconds, is extremely quick. This is indicative of minimum pack design changes, especially on own label.
For a high proportion of shoppers, rice is a store cupboard item. It is bought when stocks run low rather than being bought as part of a planned menu.
As a result shoppers may subconsciously see the pack each time they go to that particular cupboard. This means they are probably able to identify it far more easily than, say, a jar of cook-in-sauce which is used in a day or two and thrown in the dustbin, leaving no reminder.
In the stores visited, rice was located by cook-in-sauces, noodles, Chinese food and curry accompaniments, chutneys and tinned tomatoes. In the main, shoppers were not being drawn into the display, and passed by quickly.
One surprising observation was the lack of cross-buying across relevant categories. Time and time again shoppers bought sauces and popadums but no rice, or rice with no sauces.
Given the exciting range and flavours, they were blinkered in their choices and did not explore the many options open. They knew what they wanted and the clear and distinctive packaging enabled them to locate their brand or type quickly.
The lack of pick-ups and lack of reading indicates experienced buyers being able to identify their desired pack by the all-important visual cues that help the pack to achieve stand-out on shelf.
This is positive behaviour for the brands selected but means the point of purchase will need to work harder if it is to communicate any new variants or product launches.
Are shoppers really aware of microwaveable rice? Both Uncle Ben’s and Tilda Rizazz have been on TV, but there are no clear shelf segments for this type of rice.
The rice category is complex, given its different variants and types.
This may reinforce the quick shopping behaviours we witnessed with shoppers finding the category too complex or complicated for them to invest the time to learn and trial new tastes, types and flavours.
Of those that made a purchase, 16% had not intended to buy that day. Half of these were prompted by the display, which acted as a reminder they needed rice.
Nearly 40% of those who intended to buy did not make a purchase. Among the reasons were: “looking for organic rice, probably in organic section”, “now I’m here I’ve remembered I’ve got some”, “looking for saffron rice” and “wanted a small packet of brown rice”.
A quarter of the non-buyers who had spent a few seconds at the display were looking for other products and thought they would be with the rice.
No one mentioned the versatility of rice and there were no serving suggestions to prompt the shopper into considering this option.
One would expect shoppers to struggle to find an item they are not buying every week. But the average buying time, at just 29 seconds, is extremely quick. This is indicative of minimum pack design changes, especially on own label.
For a high proportion of shoppers, rice is a store cupboard item. It is bought when stocks run low rather than being bought as part of a planned menu.
As a result shoppers may subconsciously see the pack each time they go to that particular cupboard. This means they are probably able to identify it far more easily than, say, a jar of cook-in-sauce which is used in a day or two and thrown in the dustbin, leaving no reminder.
In the stores visited, rice was located by cook-in-sauces, noodles, Chinese food and curry accompaniments, chutneys and tinned tomatoes. In the main, shoppers were not being drawn into the display, and passed by quickly.
One surprising observation was the lack of cross-buying across relevant categories. Time and time again shoppers bought sauces and popadums but no rice, or rice with no sauces.
Given the exciting range and flavours, they were blinkered in their choices and did not explore the many options open. They knew what they wanted and the clear and distinctive packaging enabled them to locate their brand or type quickly.
The lack of pick-ups and lack of reading indicates experienced buyers being able to identify their desired pack by the all-important visual cues that help the pack to achieve stand-out on shelf.
This is positive behaviour for the brands selected but means the point of purchase will need to work harder if it is to communicate any new variants or product launches.
Are shoppers really aware of microwaveable rice? Both Uncle Ben’s and Tilda Rizazz have been on TV, but there are no clear shelf segments for this type of rice.
The rice category is complex, given its different variants and types.
This may reinforce the quick shopping behaviours we witnessed with shoppers finding the category too complex or complicated for them to invest the time to learn and trial new tastes, types and flavours.
Of those that made a purchase, 16% had not intended to buy that day. Half of these were prompted by the display, which acted as a reminder they needed rice.
Nearly 40% of those who intended to buy did not make a purchase. Among the reasons were: “looking for organic rice, probably in organic section”, “now I’m here I’ve remembered I’ve got some”, “looking for saffron rice” and “wanted a small packet of brown rice”.
A quarter of the non-buyers who had spent a few seconds at the display were looking for other products and thought they would be with the rice.
No one mentioned the versatility of rice and there were no serving suggestions to prompt the shopper into considering this option.
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