Load shedding has had major impacts on how South Africans shop for groceries, what they buy, and how they prepare their food. A recent survey details these changes – and provides insights for brands and retailers seeking to serve shoppers in the new abnormal.
Load shedding has placed a great economic – not to mention emotional – burden on South Africans. Recent research by Trade Intelligence and survey specialists Chirp reveals that 70% of South African shoppers believe load shedding has forced them to make changes to how they buy and prepare food – with major impacts on their shopping habits and grocery spend.
“What, when, and how people are cooking is most affected by load shedding,” says Trade Intelligence Research and Advisory lead, Caroline Short. “This has to do with a number of factors – the storage of food, their comfort in shopping during a blackout, and even the technology they’ve invested in to deal with a loss of power in the home.” 42% of respondents, she says, report cooking on their stovetops more often, and 41% cook on portable stoves.
53% of respondents report that their grocery shopping habits have been impacted by load shedding. However, the impacts of load shedding on the retail landscape are complex and multi-faceted, informed not just by the practicalities of getting to and from the store under the load-shedding regime, but also by how load shedding affects the consumption habits and lifestyles of South Africa’s shoppers. For example, 52% report that blackouts affect what they decide to cook, while 40% say that it informs their decisions about when to eat out, and 33% said it drives their decisions about how and when to entertain.
The survey explores in detail how exactly load shedding impacts cooking habits. 57% of respondents report that they cook in advance, 40% that they cook less often, and 30% that they cook on gas more. Inevitably, 22% of consumers reported that they braaied more often, in the grand South African tradition of needing little excuse to do so.
How does this translate into shopping patterns? 28% of respondents say they are going out for smaller shops, more often. 20% of them plan their trips around a load-shedding schedule where possible. 23% will go to stores that they know have a generator, and many prefer not to go shopping – or indeed leave home – when the lights are out. A massive 56% report that they are shopping less overall.
Perishables are understandably the categories most impacted by load shedding – 73% of respondents said they buy less ice cream, with 70% reporting buying less dairy and 66% less frozen foods. In all these categories, shoppers report that they are buying smaller packs. But for brands and retailers, the big shifts are in how shoppers are shopping. 77% report that they are shopping around more for specials rather than sticking with their preferred retailer through thick and thin. 57% have taken their business to cheaper stores, and 53% are buying fewer treats and luxuries. And over 40% say that they are buying cheaper products and brands.
“Between inflation and load shedding, everyone is being forced to tighten their belts,” says Caroline Short. “However, no one is eager to alter their consumption patterns. This means people are shopping around for specials, which are accordingly proliferating across all retailers, and they are going to cheaper stores before they buy cheaper brands or resort to cheaper products.”
The load-shedding survey is part of a broader research project on South Africa’s FMCG landscape, which details the measures consumers are taking to deal with all of the budgetary pressures they’re facing, and how retailers are adapting to serve their changing needs. “South Africans are resilient and adaptable,” says Short. “But as this survey shows, retailers and brands have a major role to play in helping them meet their daily needs, safely and affordably.”
About Trade Intelligence
Trade Intelligence is South Africa’s leading source of consumer goods retail research, insights and capability-building solutions, focusing on the industry’s corporate and independent retailers and wholesalers. We are the trusted voice of the sectors in which we operate, aggregating information to amplify knowledge, grow capability, and enable collaboration that drives profitable trading relationships and sustainable sector growth.
About Chirp
Chirp is an all-in-one research platform. Chirp lets you survey highly specific target groups and gather consumer opinions in minutes. It allows you to easily create custom questionnaires using the built-in form builder with various survey question types, logic jumps and other advanced features. Consumers are instantly recruited for the survey that matches the clients target market demographics and interests with the Chirp advanced audience builder. Push notifications are sent to consumers in the panel and can respond instantly. Responses can be reviewed in minutes with the real-time analytics dashboard and insights, allowing results to be shared and exported.
Get in touch with Chirp by contacting Nick Wallander at nick@getchirp.co and visit www.getchirp.co or download the app by following this link, https://linktr.ee/getchirp or alternatively snapping the QR code