Highlights from Meyers Research Center's Hispanic Shopper Close Up Study

1. Hispanic Shopper Close-Up
Syndicated Study – Highlights
© Meyers Research Center March - 2013

2. Background
According to the 2010 U.S. Census, Hispanics represent 16% of total U.S. population. Their numbers have
increased by 15.2 million between 2000 and 2010, and they account for over half of the 27.3 million increase in
the total population of the United States. During this ten year period, the Hispanic population grew by 43%, four
times the growth in the total U.S. population.1 By 2050, it is estimated that Hispanics will account for 29% of the
population of the United States.2
Retailers and marketers have been reacting to the opportunities presented by this growing target audience
(implementing Hispanic shopper-marketing programs, expanding the availability of Hispanic brands/brands from
shopper’s home country, establishing retail outlets to cater to the needs of this segment). However, there
remains a scarcity of information to help retailers and marketers understand the Hispanic shopper.
To this end, Meyers Research Center (MRC) launched the first wave of the Hispanic Shopper Close-Up Study in
2012. This research will provide valuable shopper insights into Hispanic consumers’ shopping behaviors,
attitudes and decision-making patterns across 8 key retail outlets including Supermarkets, Hispanic
Supermarkets, Mass Merchandisers, Warehouse Clubs, Drug Stores, Dollar Stores, Convenience Stores and
Bodegas.
This research will offer a powerful tool for shopper insights/category managers, channel and sales strategists,
advertising/merchandising planners and retailers to effectively target this valuable and rapidly growing shopper
segment.
1 – 2010 United States Census; 2-Pew Research Center
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3. Research Objectives
The primary focus of this program is to develop a better understanding of Hispanic shopping behaviors
and how these may differ by level of acculturation and from shopping behaviors of non-Hispanics.
Specifically, the research provides insights about various elements including:
What is the profile of the shopper by store format
What formats are being shopped for various categories
What are the key factors driving store selection
What are the underlying dynamics of the store visit by channel:
– What preparations are made prior to the visit
– What are destination categories, which categories are impulse buys
– What are the key in-store influencers
– Total amount spent/market basket
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4. Research Approach
Phase 1: Ethnographic Interviews (Exploratory phase)
• Hispanic shoppers only;
• Men and women between 25 and 54 years old
• 22 interviews within two markets: New York and Los Angeles metro
Phase 2: Online Interviews
• Hispanic and Non-Hispanic shoppers; 18 years and older
o Each shopper asked about a recent shopping experience in up to two different trade channels.
• Hispanics include: acculturated, bicultural, and unacculturated
o Level of acculturation was determined by: country of origin, years living in the U.S., language
spoken both in and outside the home and cultural identification.
• Over 3,000 interviews:
Hispanics (2,194) Total Shoppers by Class-of-Trade
• Acculturated (729) 1. Supermarket (559)
• Bicultural (868) 2. Hispanic Supermarket (334)
• Unacculturated (597) 3. Mass Merchandiser (395)
4. Warehouse Club (524)
5. Drug Store (451)
Non-Hispanic (1,110) 6. Dollar Store (485)
7. Convenience Store (670)
8. Bodega (279)
* Data was weighted to reflect region, ethnic representation and heritage/country of origin (Hispanics only) in the U.S. population as per
the 2010 Census.
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5. Study Highlights (Cross Channel Perspective)
Hispanics Acculturation Level Non-Hispanics
General Shopping Behaviors
Where They Regularly Shop • Mass merchandiser, • Unacculturated shop the fewest •Mass merchandiser,
supermarket, drug, dollar channels. supermarket, drug
• Acculturated least likely to shop
ethnic stores.
Shopping Frequency • Shop all channels except drug • Acculturated visit most stores •Shop dollar stores and
and warehouse club 1x/week or less often than bicultural or warehouse club less often
more often. unacculturated. versus Hispanics.
Changes in Shopping Frequency • Net increases for supermarkets, • Greatest increases for lesser •Net increases for supermarkets,
Past 12 months Hispanic supermarkets, mass acculturated (unacculturated & mass merchandisers, dollar
merchandisers, dollar, bicultural) for supermarkets, stores, warehouse clubs.
convenience and bodegas. Hispanic supermarkets, mass
• Net decrease for warehouse merchandisers, bodegas.
clubs. • Acculturated show greater
increases for dollar stores.
Pre-Store Behaviors
• Hispanic shoppers choose a store • EDLP is more critical in store • EDLP is less critical to non-
Key Store Selection Criteria primarily based on convenient choice for acculturated vs. other Hispanics than Hispanics.
location. Hispanic segments
Planning the Store Visit • Planning is a key characteristic, • More use of shopping lists and/or • Greater planning occurs for
with highest levels for warehouse store circulars among lesser non-Hispanics than Hispanics
clubs and supermarkets. acculturated and least use of for supermarkets, mass
• Typically includes making a coupons. merchandisers, drug and
shopping list and clipping convenience.
coupons.
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6. Study Highlights (Cross Channel Perspective)
Hispanics Acculturation Level Non-Hispanics
In-Store Behaviors
• Highest spend per trip in • Unacculturated spend more per •Spend less than Hispanics in
Total Spend per Visit warehouse club and mass trip, acculturated spend the supermarkets, mass
merchandisers. least. merchandisers and warehouse
clubs.
Lowering Prices at Checkout • Highly engaged in loyalty • Unacculturated display lowest •Are more involved than
programs in drug and participation in loyalty Hispanics in loyalty programs.
supermarkets. programs and are least likely to
use coupons.
Impulse Purchasing • High impulse purchasing across • Impulse purchasing is most •Less impulse purchasing than
all channels. Price/promotion is common among Hispanics in selected channels.
a common trigger. unacculturated.
For more information about this study or to purchase a PowerPoint report of
findings (including channel and category-specific findings) contact:
George E. Brown II
gbrown@meyersresearch.com
Jeff Friedlaender
jfriedlaender@meyersresearch.com
Frances Glick
fglick@meyersresearch.com
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