Source: The Mercury, 2 October, 1996. Source: The Mercury, 2 October, 1996.
The Aussie supermarket shopper
AUSTRALIAN grocery shoppers want a larger health food section in their supermarkets, shorter checkout queues, lower prices - and toilets on site. New research released yesterday shows the average Australian grocery shopper is also demanding more organically grown fruit and vegetables. One quarter of shoppers surveyed rated food safety as the most important issue, 25% said low prices were the critical factor, while 15% said Australian- made products were essential. A massive 70% said toilets in supermarkets would be a good idea. There was also strong interest in safe food handling, environmental matters, and access to nutrition information. The research, commissioned by the Australian Supermarket Institute, revealed a profile of the average Australian grocery shopper who is likely to be increasingly targeted by supermarket chains. The average shopper is likely to be a woman aged about 40, employed, married or living with a partner, and likely to have no children living at home. One shopper at Eastlands yesterday suggested the ideal supermarket would establish "gossip bays" to avoid crammed aisles while shoppers conversed. Another shopper, Carol Inches of Bellerive, said lighting in the vegetable section made produce seem fresher than it was. "The freshness varies at the time of week," Mrs Inches said. "It's pretty good earlier in the week but not so great by Saturday. Prices also vary a lot, and daily." Mrs Inches, 37, who has a job and three teenage children, estimates her fortnightly grocery bill is $250. She spends an extra $10 in daily trips for fresh produce to prevent wastage. "Staff are important, as is being able to find things, and having products clearly marked both with the price and use-by dates," she said. She refuses to use selfserve salad bars.
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