DEBIT CARDS IMPORTANT TO GROCERY BUYERS
By Adnews Staff
A clean store is the most important attribute of a supermarket, according to a survey commissioned by the Canadian Council of Grocery Distribution. Almost a third of respondents rate their primary supermarket as excellent, with women expressing the most satisfaction, followed by persons over 50 years-of-age, by families with annual incomes under $35,000, by Quebecors and Atlantic Canadians. As a source for take-out food, supermarkets ranked third, behind fast-food restaurants and conventional restaurants. Acceptance of debit cards is seen as important by 69% of respondents, but by a higher proportion of younger shoppers. Almost ninety per cent of people aged 18 to 24 feel acceptance of debit cards is important and 78% of those aged 25 to 39 feel the same way. Private label brands are beginning to regain some ground they've lost in the past with 66% of shoppers considering them important. Almost 60% of consumers felt the same way in a survey done in 1995. The average Canadian family spends $103 on groceries a week, up $3 from the 1995 survey. The most common ways Canadian save money on groceries are: shopping only at their primary store, looking in newspapers for specials, stocking up on bargain items, buying store or lower-priced brands and using cents-off coupons. The CCGD conducts is supermarket survey every two years.