From Our Print Edition

Americans are increasingly looking to purchase healthier and tastier foods while running up against the reality that some items may stretch their limited household budgets. In recent years that has led to a decrease in unit sales as inflation pushed the cost of what consumers were buying upward.

Chicago-based Numerator analyzed its household panel data to get a snapshot of consumers’ attitudes toward their household finances and dining priorities and what that means for sales of frozen and refrigerated foods.

The data and technology firm shared its insights with attendees at last month’s National Frozen & Refrigerated Foods Association (NFRA) convention at the Gaylord National Resort Conference Center in National Harbor, Md.

‘About half are saying, moving forward, I plan to buy all or mostly private label.’

“One in three households are telling us they’re uncomfortable with any discretionary spending at the moment. They’re seeking out sales. They’re using coupons, and they tell us they’re cooking at home more often than they had been previously,” says Brian Kay, Numerator’s senior vp-CPG.

Sixty-four percent of consumers say they are buying private label products more often than a year ago, while nearly a third are purchasing about the same.

According to Kay, store brands now account for about 25% of grocery units, an increase of about half a percentage point in the past year.

“When we asked consumers why they are buying private label within the cold box, of course they mentioned price. But interestingly enough, they also mentioned that this is an affordable foray into organic, or I like the price impact size, or I like the variety and flavors…. We see about two-thirds of households saying, ‘Hey, I’m doing about a little more or much more private label purchases than I did a year ago,’ and about half are saying, ‘Moving forward, I plan to buy all or mostly private label.’ So there’s intentionality there,” says Kay.