More men doing grocery shopping, Schnucks survey finds

ST. LOUIS — Six percent more men are doing the primary grocery shopping for their families versus five years ago, according to results of a new survey by Schnucks.

The St. Louis-based supermarket chain launched the survey through the Schnucks Listens research panel, basing it on responses of about half of the more than 13,000 panelists. The panel was launched in 2007 and includes grocery shoppers from across the region the chain covers. According to survey results, 43% of the men indicated their marital status had changed, while 32% of women indicated their spouses had retired.

"In this case, we set out to learn more about how habits are changing and why," Schnucks project manager of consumer research Mary Ver Mehren said. "Roughly 1,500 of our respondents were men, and although a large portion was older men, because of the size of the survey pool, we still have enough findings to know about the shopping habits of our younger men. The fact that we have so many men weighing in is another indication that times are changing."

Still, according to the Food Marketing Institute, women continue to do most grocery shopping.