Consumers say bring on the pumpkin, but would appreciate a discount

As the season shifts, pumpkin spice and apple cider become our go-to drink orders, beach picnics shift to football tailgates and comfort foods become a mainstay for the foreseeable future. Between August 29 and September 11, the term “pumpkin spice” was searched over 170,000 times on our platform, marking a 91% rise from the previous two-week period.

The fall can be a fun time for food and drinks, with seasonal events and holiday parties offering a chance to celebrate. That being said, 78% of consumers are stressed about their grocery bills this year – with 30% saying it’s led to only buying the necessities and cutting back and 31% saying it’s led them to searching for more grocery deals. That total number increases to a whopping 89% of respondents with children.

To tap into both sides of the coin, we polled 1,000 U.S.-based adults about their grocery sentiments heading into the autumn, both the fun and the serious. Read on for our biggest takeaways below.

The seasonal shift

Everyone is feeling the chill in the air, and with that chill, comes a shift in grocery habits. 67% of consumers adjust their recipes and grocery shopping hauls based on the season. That number jumps to 77% for those with kids. So what does this mean for grocers? Consumers are searching for seasonal items, and parents specifically are changing up their grocery lists as their kids go back to school and needs evolve. Having their stock prepped and ready for these shifts will be key to meeting consumer demand.

60% of respondents say they are more inclined to bake in the fall. That number jumps to 68% for women respondents. Grocers should expect spending to pick up in the coming months as more people opt for cozy home cooked meals and baked goods. No one wants to head to the grocery store with a plan to cook up chili and pumpkin bread, only to be unsuccessful in their pursuit of canned tomatoes and pumpkin needed to complete them. Speaking of pumpkin, 32% say they are all for the pumpkin ‘creep’ (brands introducing pumpkin flavors in August or even earlier) and want the flavors as soon as possible, signaling a need for grocers to stock up and prep pumpkin-themed recipes customers may need. Grocers should advertise seasonal ingredients and ensure they are front and center for customers.

Searching for inspiration

Consumers are packing their fall with autumnal festivities, including Halloween parties (46%), Friendsgiving get togethers (35%), and football tailgates (37%). When looking for baking and meal inspiration for these parties, many are turning to social media. 45% of respondents say they find their fall baking or meal recipe inspiration on social media. More than 1 in 5 (22%) of respondents find their fall baking or meal recipe inspo specifically on TikTok. That number increases to 53% for 18-24 year old respondents. Consumers are looking at new avenues for their seasonal recipes, and there is an opportunity for grocers to integrate recipe suggestions and grocery lists to help ease the consumer shopping journey.

The digital grocer

Once consumers find their cooking and baking inspo, the majority (72%) say they mostly grocery shop the old fashioned way – in person. 29% use online grocery services, with 14% using Instacart or a similar online grocery delivery service, and 15% order online directly from their grocery store and pick up. That said, these numbers are skewed based on age – with the 55-64 year old and 65+ groups both responding with over 90% shopping in person, whereas 25-34 and 35-44 age groups each have 43% saying they do their grocery shopping online. It’s important grocers keep this generational gap in mind when strategizing their offerings and personalization.

When asked what offering they’d most like from their online grocer, consumers said the following:

• 30% said personalized deal recommendations based on what’s in their cart/past purchase history from their online grocer
• 16% said personalized recipe suggestions based on what’s in their cart/past purchase history from their online grocer
• 17% said more convenient pickup/delivery options
• 38% said they don’t need any additional offerings

And the biggest pain points consumers call out when online grocery shopping?

• 40% – produce selection
• 30% – not able to find what you are looking for
• 27% – incorrect selections
• 18% – inconvenient pickup/delivery options
• 14% – impersonal/irrelevant deal and/or recipe recommendations
• 28% – no issues

With 30% saying they aren’t able to find what they are looking for when online grocery shopping, there is a huge opportunity for grocers to implement AI-powered search solutions to improve customer experience and bring up the right search results to get consumers the seasonal ingredients they are looking for. 1 in 5 (19%) of respondents think the wider adoption of AI by retailers will make grocery shopping experiences more convenient. Algolia’s AI Recommendation is one such tool that can generate relevant recommendations to match a user’s past history no matter where a consumer is on their journey.