Survey: Almost 90% of moms regularly influenced by coupons

CHICAGO — An exclusive study of more than 2,200 moms who primarily buy food for their family at supermarkets reveals that an overwhelming majority (89%) are regularly influenced by coupons to try new food and drink products. 

Conducted by the online community WomensForum.com, the "Womensforum.com Supermarket Moms Survey" also found that nearly half of grocery-seeking moms (49%) see it as a frequent occurrence. 

"The power of the coupon hasn't faded in the digital era, but has taken on new life, as women search for savings across a range of channels," stated Mark Kaufman, CEO of WomensForum.com. "The important role of the coupon in moms' lives is a cornerstone of Womensforum.com's own business, as the one of the largest distributors of digital print coupons in the United States. We generated more than 50 million coupon downloads in 2013 alone, underscoring the numbers in this new study."

When it comes to what kinds of foodstuffs end up in their carts, coupons prompted the "WomensForum.com Supermarket Moms Survey" respondents to make more new product purchases down the snack food aisle (73%) than elsewhere in the store. But, the study found that coupons still hold a great deal of sway beyond potato chips and pretzels, heavily inspiring moms to buy new products in other categories as well, including:

• Frozen food (72%);


• Cereal (62%);


• Beverages (57%);


• Dairy (55%); and


• Breads/bakery (42%).

This balance shifts slightly depending upon the age of the mom in question, with those older than 50 years more inclined to purchase a new frozen food item rather than a new snack food.

Pointing to parity between digital and print discovery among supermarket-shopping moms, nearly half of those surveyed (46%) said that they learned about these new grocery products though online advertising — the same number that said they where exposed to new food and drink products through traditional newspaper advertising.

Hometown supermarket circulars and word-of-mouth (65% vs. 51%) also were deemed powerful tools for finding out about the latest products to hit the shelves. And, contributing to the impact of the latter, 33% said they heard about new food and beverage items through their social media circles.

Print media and supermarket circulars take the lead when it comes to finding coupons (78% vs. 65%), but more than half of those surveyed (55%) say they often get coupons online, with nearly 4-in-10 also uncovering them on food or frugal-living blogs that share cost-saving finds.

"Moms are tapping into a variety of sources in order to discover the latest and greatest products to put in their supermarket carts," Kaufman said. "Food and beverage marketers can only ignore digital at their peril, since it is clear that a healthy media mix is necessary in order to capture her attention, and ultimately win a coveted spot on her grocery shopping list.