3 Things to Know: Gun Violence Concerns Remain High, Grocery Shoppers Cut Back on Staples Due to Rising Prices

by | Jan 30, 2023

Every week, CivicScience continually tracks current and anticipated consumer trends. Here are three key insights marketers should know this week:

1. Gun violence concerns remain high.

Following several mass shootings in California this month, nearly 70% of U.S. adults report being ‘very’ or ‘somewhat’ concerned about gun violence.

2. Rising grocery prices hit supercenter and regional grocery shoppers differently.

CivicScience’s ongoing tracking shows that nearly 55% of consumers expect to increase spending on groceries over the next month. As a result, shoppers are cutting back on staple grocery items – especially eggs and meat. 

However, consumers who shop most often at supercenter retailers (such as Walmart and Target) are more likely than those who shop at regional grocery chains (such as Giant Eagle and Safeway) to say they have been affected by rising food prices. Supercenter shoppers are much more likely to cut back on eggs (+16 percentage points) and cheese (+12 percentage points).

3. The percentage of consumers who say they’re financially better off reached a high point.

Despite grocery setbacks, this past week saw the highest percentage of ‘financially better off’ consumers in over a year. This figure stands at 32%, eclipsing the percentage of those who reported they’re financially ‘worse off’ now than before the pandemic (30%). The data correspond with consumers feeling more optimistic about their personal financial outlook (details available in the full report). 

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