Baking mixes (up 40 percent), soup (17 percent), prepared foods (12 percent), dried vegetables (11 percent), canned fish (10 percent), and cereal and baby food (both up 6 percent) are the brand categories showing the biggest gains year to date through July 17, 2022, per Catalina's Shopper Intelligence Platform.
Amid rising inflation, shoppers have become more price-sensitive and value-driven, according to Catalina. Its research also shows:
• A rise in unit sales of store brand staples like canned fish and soup indicates consumers are looking for affordable lunch and dinner solutions.
• With the USDA reporting brand name cereal prices rising between 10-11 percent in 2022, private brand alternatives are benefiting.
• While the pandemic-fueled trend of scratch baking has declined, baking mixes remain popular, with shoppers increasingly opting for store brand mixes.
• As more consumers return to the office, purchases of affordable personal grooming items like deodorant as well as prepared foods are also on the rise.
• Shoppers are scooping up private brand baby food and formula, looking for alternatives amidst a nationwide shortage of brand name products in this category.
"The data clearly indicates that shoppers have become more price-sensitive and value-driven in recent months," said Sean Murphy, Catalina’s chief data & analytics officer, in a statement. "Our platform powers these sorts of insights, helping us advise our retailer and CPG customers on the most effective shopper audiences, marketing messages and offers to measurably impact sales."
Related: Shelf-Stable Specialites Most Impacted By Inflation; Inflation Shows No SIgn of Easing.