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NEW RESEARCH FINDS IRISH SHOPPERS SPENDING UP TO €477 A YEAR MORE CHASING SUPERMARKET VOUCHER DISCOUNTS

• 50% of shoppers overspending, shopping more frequently or buying what they don’t need just to qualify for supermarket money-off vouchers
• 46% agree “Buy One Get One Free” and “Three for Two” sale offers lead them to spend more
• 30% believe supermarket loyalty schemes and money-off vouchers lead them to waste food

A new study by Coyne Research commissioned on behalf of ALDI Ireland has revealed for the first time the true cost of current Irish supermarket loyalty schemes and money-off vouchers to Irish shoppers.

According to the research, half of Irish shoppers claim to have intentionally overspent, shopped more frequently or bought something they didn’t need to qualify for supermarket money-off vouchers. €9 was the average extra money spent, with three in 10 claiming the additional spend was over €10, meaning Irish shoppers could be spending up to €477 per year more than they need to on groceries chasing voucher discounts if they overspend each time they shop*.

ALDI Ireland does not operate a loyalty scheme or money-off vouchers, instead focusing on offering the lowest grocery prices possible to every customer every time they shop at one of its 150 Irish stores. The survey of 1,000 Irish adults found despite the promise of large savings through supermarket loyalty and money-off voucher schemes, 60% of shoppers believe when using money-off vouchers their shop still costs more than they expected. Four in 10 shoppers believe money-off vouchers benefit the supermarket more than the shoppers.

Unsurprisingly, 46% of shoppers claimed discount offers such as “Buy One Get One Free” and “Three For Two” lead them to spending more than they planned, 43% said it leads them to buy things they don’t really need or want, while 42% said such offers don’t help them save money.

Worryingly, at a time when shoppers aim to make more sustainable shopping choices, 30% believe supermarket loyalty schemes and money-off vouchers lead them to waste food.

Commenting, Niall O’Connor, Group Managing Director ALDI Ireland, said: “The survey findings clearly show current supermarket loyalty schemes and money-off vouchers may actually increase the cost of Irish families’ weekly shop. The cost of running these marketing ploys is built into our competitors’ grocery prices and ultimately mean higher prices for shoppers.”

“ALDI works to give customers the very best prices every time they shop at our stores. We don’t want to reward only some customers who sign up for a scheme that they don’t really need.”

“Irish shoppers are facing difficult choices currently about how they spend their money, stretching their budgets to get as much as possible as they face the biggest decline in spending power for a generation. ALDI is committed to remaining the best value retailer in Ireland, whatever the global challenges we face and we take every step to shield our customers from price increases as much as possible.”

Discussing the research, Bernie Coyne, Managing Director of Coyne Research said, “At a time when many families are suffering a squeeze on their budgets vouchers and other supermarket schemes may seem tempting. However, our research tells a story that Irish shoppers are beginning to question whether money-off vouchers really benefit them or provide them with real savings.”

*The research was conducted by Coyne Research between 21st June – 6th July. 1,000 adults aged 18+ were sampled.

**Irish shoppers make on average 53 supermarket shopping trips per year to other supermarkets. Source Kantar Worldpanel.