Research conducted for the Food Marketing Institute ranked the most influential factors in determining where people shop for food in the U.S. and abroad. The results show that, in the U.S., six out of ten consumers say that “good value for money” is the primary factor in their decision regarding where to spend their food dollars; globally, 85% of consumers feel similarly. Other factors addressed in the study relate to convenience, quality, and interest in recyclables.

According to this report, the most influential factors in determining where U.S. consumers shop include

• Good value (60%)
• Better selection of high quality brands and products (28%)
• Store proximity (23%)
• Convenience and easy parking (14%)
• Use by stores of recyclable bags and packaging (9%)

U.S. consumers determine “good value” using the following factors:

• Frequent promotions and discounts (80%)
• Store reputation for delivering low prices (72%)
• Store circulars and flyers (70%)
• Loyalty or frequent shopper discounts (63%)

About 60% of U.S. consumers conduct price comparisons across retailers to determine value, while 53% depend on private label offerings, and 43% use friends’ recommendations.

Consumer concerns about the state of the economy seem to drive dependence on value as a shopping determinant, as consumers in nations with healthy economies do not rank value as highly.