Nielsen study examines shoppers' body language

Why do consumers buy the same brand of coffee and mayonnaise over and over again, but will often purchase different brands of cold cereal and chocolates? It's hardly happenstance, according to a new study by The Nielsen Company. Nielsen's study of shopper behavior shows that consumers present distinct shopping modes at the supermarket that dictate what ends up in their grocery bags. Nielsen's study, which reviewed consumer shopping behavior across 30 food categories, found that consumers adopt one of four different "shopping modes" as they cruise the supermarket aisles.

Key characteristics of the shopping modes:
Auto-pilot: In auto-pilot, or grab-and-go mode, shoppers are making everyday, habitual decisions driven by brand choices and they are usually not in the market to try anything new. Items such as coffee, cereal, cheese, margarine and mayonnaise are purchased in auto-pilot mode. For example, Nielsen's research found that shoppers were quite particular about their coffee, choosing the same caffeine fix, flavor and coffee experience.
Variety-Seeking: In the variety-seeking mode, shoppers are browsing shelves actively and on the lookout for new tastes as well as interesting product innovations or products offering "surprise" in their role as household chef.

Buzz: Energy and sports drinks, chocolate, ready-to-drink teas and yogurt drinks fall in the buzz-activated category.

Bargain-Hunting: Canned tuna, canned tomatoes, cheese, canned fruit and pasta sauce are items most often purchased in the bargain-hunting mode.

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