IELKA: The New Era in Consumer Choices, with Selection Based on Quality vs. Price
Friday, May 30, 2025
The new annual rolling survey by the Consumer Goods Retail Research Institute (IELKA), conducted in February 2025 on a nationwide sample of 1,500 consumers, records a gradual de-escalation of the importance consumers place on monetary expenditure when selecting food. Price remains the primary criterion for food selection for 47% of consumers, a percentage that is noticeably reduced compared to 2024. Conversely, the importance of quality is increasing, which constitutes the main criterion for 30% of participants. The convergence of these two criteria indicates a trend toward balancing between seeking more economical choices and upgrading the nutritional value of purchases.
The annual recording of shopping habits also shows stability regarding visits to supermarkets, with an average of 3.2 visits per week (or 13 per month), a number slightly increased from the previous year. Visits are distributed across approximately 2.2 different chains, an element that reflects the continuation of multi-channel practices in the market.
Decrease in Total Weekly Spending
Notable is the fact that, despite continuous price increases, consumers reported lower weekly spending compared to the past. This fact is likely connected either to smaller shopping "baskets" or to a reallocation of spending toward other needs or services. Regarding other food and consumer goods retail outlets, bakeries record the most monthly visits (10), followed by cafes (6), mini markets/kiosks (5.5), and specialized stores (4 visits).
Significant differentiation compared to the past is also observed regarding offers: While from 2017 to 2022 consumers clearly preferred offers over low prices, from 2023 onwards a reversal of the trend is observed. Now, only 19% declare a preference for offers, while the majority chooses consistently low prices. Nevertheless, the percentage of consumers (58%) who declare that they actively seek offers in their supermarket shopping remains high and stable over the last five years.
Source: FoodReporter May 14th 2025 #1406, page 4