New poll reveals how consumers are cutting back

A new Harris Poll reveals the cuts consumers are making to their purchases and services to save money, and some of the results are especially pertinent to grocers.

The poll, which surveyed 3,084 adults in the U.S., reveals specific spending and saving trends over the past six months. For example, 62% of those polled said that in that time frame they have purchased more generic brands to save money. And 45% said they brown bagged lunch instead of purchasing it. Also, 37% said they switched to using refillable water bottles rather than buying bottled water. When it comes to their cuppa Joe, 22% said they stopped purchasing coffee in the morning.

The study breaks down the findings further by dividing them by age group. For example, when it comes to purchasing more generic brands, 57% of Echo Boomers (those aged 18 to 33) do so, while 70% of Gen Xers (aged 34 to 45) do so, 62% of Baby Boomers (aged 46 to 64) do so, and 59% of Matures (over 65) do so.