Simon Wilkinson
December 01, 2012
News Limited Network
MEN want a visit to the supermarket to be short and sharp, so stores are being revamped to suit them as the number of male shoppers increases.
Store layouts are being tweaked for these “mission shoppers” so essential items can be found quickly near the entry point. Small-format convenience stores are also growing in popularity, with their shelves more easy to navigate and greater flexibility of longer opening hours.
Retail giant Coles has introduced a series of what it describes as “man-friendly” products, including ready-made meals sold near the front of the store, a grill range of barbecue meat and seafood and Bundaberg-laced mince pies for Christmas.
The rise in the importance of male shoppers has been tracked by a recent survey of banking customers that found nearly 50per cent of men claimed to be responsible for the family grocery shopping, up from 25 per cent in the early 1970s.
Retail analyst Peter Wilson has made similar observations, particularly with short-trip shopping which has “a definite male skew”.
“Male shoppers want to get in and out as quickly as possible,” Mr Wilson, the head of shopper marketing for IdeaWorks, said. “They don’t have the patience or the inclination to hang in the store or venture into non-relevant categories … as would potentially be the case for their female counterparts.
“They look for parking spot closest to store. They want to get in, find what they are looking for and get out again.”
Mr Wilson said male shoppers were one of the main reasons for the rise of convenience stores in petrol stations and other locations where essential items could be picked up on the run.
Supermarkets were also changing their layout to meet this demand.
“For retailers, the old concept of putting bread and milk at the back of store, and hoping that shoppers will pick up additional impulse items on the way to the checkout, is out-dated. Active retailing now takes shoppers’ needs at heart.”
In the US, one supermarket chain has built additional, small stores in car parks of bigger outlets, stocked only with essential items for quick pick-ups. Another store in New York has a men-only aisle with all male needs brought together in one section.
Mr Wilson said male grooming was a big growth category for supermarkets and they were creating more appealing displays “to win the hearts and minds of men”.
A spokesperson for Coles said the retailer had observed significant increases in the sale of products developed with men in mind.
Sales of men’s body care packs had increased by 300per cent year on year and the store had introduced a Holden pack including body spray and a stubbie holder.
She agreed that men wanted shopping to be quick and easy.
“Coles customer research has revealed that 40per cent of men feel overwhelmed by shopping, especially at peak trade periods like Christmas and more than 45per cent are looking for greater convenience,” she said.
“This has resulted in us developing a number of in-store, “man-friendly” features, including ready-made food offerings conveniently located at the front of the store.”
Father-of-three Adam Brown, of Warradale, said he went to the supermarket two to three times a week, mostly buying five or six items at a time.
“I want the shopping, to be quick, clean … I want to find stuff and get out,” he said. “I go in with a plan. And I want to know where everything is before I get there”
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