Digital CPG Blog

Young women in their 20s and 30s are expected to surpass Baby Boomers in their consumer packaged goods spending. A recent report from Information Resources outlines this growing consumer demographic’s key behaviors. Compared to the preceding generation, women born between 1979 and 1989 tend to shop less, buy more during each trip, and frequent supercenters more.

Some key findings from the study:

- Private Label Acceptance is Higher than Gen X. Seventy percent of Millennials perceive store brands to be of “excellent quality,” IRI said, challenging the general belief that private label acceptance evolves over time.

- Gen Y Wants Healthy Products. Millennial women want products that are good for you and have healthy options, but this is less important when purchasing beverages, however.

- Coupon Use Isn’t High With Gen Y. This generation uses coupons and circulars less than their baby boomer parents and are more likely to impulse shop as a result. They are also more likely to shop without a budget and make impulse grocery purchases. They’re also time-strapped and not as budget-savvy.

- Gen Y Feels Emotional Attachment to Shopping. This group of young shoppers value characteristics such as a store’s “value proposition, location, user-friendly layout and variety” when it comes to deciding where they’ll shop, according to IRI.

Many of these findings suggest that traditional advertising media, such as TV and print, may not be as effective as they once were in reaching younger consumers, and marketers should turn to more nontraditional means, said Sean Seitzinger, IRI’s SVP of thought-leadership.