Chicago-based Information Resources Inc. (IRI) announced findings from two recent studies of the shopping attitudes and behaviors, along with the emotional drivers of Generation Z (aged 21 and under). The studies give manufacturers and retailers insight into how to effectively communicate with this generation of consumers, it said.

In partnership with The Family Room LLC, Norwalk, Conn., these studies surveyed a cross-generational sample of the Gen Z population segment, which exemplifies that a brand’s authenticity is more important to Gen Z than preceding generations, the market research firm states. The discoveries also show that Gen Z’s preferences tend to have significant influence on the purchase behaviors of their household, which could motivate manufacturers and retailers to adjust their marketing strategies now to win over Gen Z shoppers, it adds.

“Gen Z is deeply motivated by authenticity and a brand’s ‘emotional DNA,’ which we define as how completely a product or brand aligns with the values shoppers attribute to it,” said Robert I. Tomei, IRI’s president of Consumer and Shopper Marketing and Core Content Services, in a statement.

The latest study, which builds on IRI’s initial analysis, released in September 2017, links the attitudes and behaviors of Gen Z to household purchase behavior data. The following are highlights from the study:

■ Gen Zers actively participate in their family’s grocery shopping: IRI’s study found that 47 percent of older Gen Zers (aged 18-21) participate in their households grocery shopping. Additionally, parents say their Gen Z kids influence what they buy at the grocery store.

■ Personalization is cool: Thirtyeight percent of Gen Z kids think it’s cool to get ads or promotions via their social media feeds for products based on their interests and shopping habits.

■ A healthy lifestyle is broad terminology: Sixty-six percent of Gen Zers said that “feeling good about who I am” is a part of being healthy, and 62 percent cited, “staying positive” as a major contributor to their health, which underscore the values-based, holistic approach, Gen Zers bring to all of their interactions.

■ They want to be a part of it: G Zers want to be an active part of the brand relationship, including a feedback loop and interactive dialogue. BI