Are healthy shoppers also savvy shoppers? American research group NMI thinks so. Their consumer survey shows that if we’re careful with our bodies we’re also careful with our budgets. Categorising shoppers into five distinct types, the healthiest ‘Well Being’ shoppers make few impulse buys, while the ‘Eat, Drink and Be Merrys’ are more concerned with pizza than exercise. But surprisingly this unhealthy group of shoppers doesn’t spend any more on alcohol than the rest of us.
It seems we fall into distinct shopping types based on our health: there’s the organic eating ‘Well Beings’, the penny-wise ‘Food Actives’ who won’t buy food or wine just because it’s got a fancy label and the vitamin taking ‘Magic Bullets’ group.
You may also find yourself identifying with the ‘Fence Sitters’ who follow the latest eco-friendly trends or the youngest and poorest group of shoppers the ‘Eat, Drink and Be Merrys’.
Their need for beer may be greater than the other four healthier groups but when it comes to the yearly booze spend it’s the same as everyone else.
It seems all groups can find money to spend on alcohol but it’s the health-aware shoppers – the ‘Well Beings’ and ‘Magic Bullets’ – who spend a greater proportion on wine.
Why is this? Perhaps they recognise that drinking wine in moderation, particularly red wine, has many health benefits: reducing heart disease and cholesterol levels, stopping certain cancers, improving memory and even preventing your teeth from falling out.
But it also seems shoppers who are in fine fettle are the most supermarket savvy – enjoying the whole shopping experience and really knowing the layout of their supermarkets. They don’t waste time going up and down the aisles aimlessly browsing but instead head straight for the best buys.
Anyone for a wine bargain?
PG Wine Reviews
Hardys Voyage Australian Chardonnay Pinot Grigio 2016
£4.99 Co-op (down from £6.69 until February 7)
A really juicy and tasty white wine blend that matches haddock mornay ideally. Tastes of creamy peach, bananas, apple and melon.
The Unexpected 2016, Australian red blend
£4.99 Co-op (down from £5.99 until February 7)
There’s a reason for the name – the rather unexpected range of grape varieties put together in this wine: Cabernet Sauvigon, Sagrantino (an Italian grape variety that’s made it’s way to Australia), Merlot and Tenpranillo. And the result is flavours of plum and coffee with a tinge of cough mixture. I think you’ll like it.
Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference Rioja Blanco 2015
£7 Sainsbury’s
Simple, quaffable white with flavours of apple and pear plus a bit of banana.
Morrisons Red Burgundy 2014
£8 Morrisons
A really nice wine that is light and fruity with a bit of dryness. Cherry and redcurrant flavours.
Borga Regio Franciacorta Italian Brut, sparkling
£8.99 Lidl
Lightly fizzy with earthy, meaty flavours that are lightened with lemon. If you want fizz with flavour then chose Franciacorta over Champagne.
Paniza Spanish Gran Reserva 2009
£9.99 Virgin Wines
A red with flavours of creamy cherry, violets and plum.
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© Paula Goddard 2017 www.paulagoddard.com
