IRI examines consumer confidence, eCommerce behaviors
20% of consumers are interested in purchasing food, beverages online
Consumer confidence is holding steady with 53 percent of U.S. households feeling they are in good financial health in the fourth quarter of 2017 compared with the same figure in the fourth quarter of 2016, according to Chicago-based Information Resources Inc.’s (IRI) Consumer Connect survey results. However, consumers still are mindful about their spending and are turning to the Internet for money-saving opportunities. In fact, 28 percent of consumers say they buy grocery items online compared with 23 percent in the first quarter of 2016, IRI reports.
Results from the IRI survey also examined consumer confidence according to age and found that 47 percent of millennials, 45 percent of Generation X, 51 percent of baby boomers and 68 percent of seniors feel good about their financial health. Nonetheless, 31 percent of consumers in the fourth quarter of 2017 said they are struggling to buy needed groceries compared with 30 percent in the fourth quarter of 2016, it says.