New research released today reveals that Brits will spend the equivalent of eight-and-a-half months of their lives in supermarkets – despite it leaving them feeling bored and impatient.
A study of 2,000 adults found they typically visit stores three times a week, spending just over 37 minutes there each time. This amounts to nearly two hours a week or the equivalent of more than four whole days a year – and that doesn’t include the additional 22 minutes that it takes to get to and from the supermarket on each visit during a typical seven-day period!
The average adult will part with nearly £529,238 on groceries over their lifetime
The research, commissioned by Bother, the smart shopping service for next day delivery of cupboard basics, confirms that nipping to the supermarket could also cost you more than you think. On average Brit spends £53.85 and purchases on average 19 products during each shop. That means the average adult will purchase 186,732 items and part with a staggering £529,238 on groceries throughout their lifetime!
Bother believes we shouldn’t have to traipse around a supermarket for these boring basics and there’s a better way to buy these items, for people and planet. Its AI Bother brain helps learn what customers need and when, adding it to their delivery box so they never run out but helping them stay in control.
“Supermarket shopping is a chore Brits spend far too long doing, from making lists and remembering items, to driving and parking, walking up and down aisles and then having to lug it all home. And most people aren’t convinced online supermarkets are any better either. We think there’s a smarter way that’s better for people and planet.”
Douglas Morton, founder of Bother
Revealing that the most popular time to do a supermarket shop is 12:53 on Saturday, Brits confess their biggest supermarket bugbears – including slow walkers and forgetting an item you had specifically gone shopping for. Long queues, navigating new supermarket layouts, and people not moving out the way leave consumers feeling riled.
Struggling to find staff members to help you, spillages, too much noise, and feeling pressured to pack bags really fast also make food shopping something that millions of Brits find boring, irritating or tiring.
The biggest supermarket bugbears revealed include slow walkers, new layouts and forgetting an item you had specifically gone shopping for
And when it comes to online shopping, having substitute items delivered (33 per cent), items being out of stock (32 per cent) and struggling to get a delivery spot (23 per cent) were among the most annoying features.
Bother has teamed-up with former Big Brother contestant, Brian Dowling, who famously got into plenty of trouble in shopping tasks, for the Brian vs the Big Bother Brain challenge showing how smart shopping services can make shopping for boring basics quicker and easier for people.
The top 10 things that bother Brits about supermarket shopping:
- Long queues
- New layouts that mean you can’t find anything
- People not moving out of the way
- Other customers getting too close in the queue/ aisles
- Lack of stock
- Slow walkers
- Forgetting to buy an item
- Wonky trolley wheels
- ‘Unexpected items in the bagging area’ when using a self-checkout till
- Other customers taking ages to make a decision while you’re waiting
The top 10 things that annoy online supermarket shoppers:
- Having ‘substitute’ items delivered that they dislike
- Items being out of stock
- Items not turning up
- Struggling to get a delivery slot
- Not being able to get a delivery slot that’s convenient
- Unable to find items online
- ‘Search’ not resulting in the item they want
- Having to pay more for a peak delivery time slot
- Order not being delivered with carrier bags, meaning customer has to carry every item in from the boxes individually
- It taking ages to find what they want to buy
