A study of U.S. consumers by MarketTools has found grocery shoppers are more cost-conscious than they were 12 months ago, with 63% saying that saving money was either "somewhat more important" or "much more important".

The survey of 893 people found 80% of respondents used coupons to save money, 62% chose store brands instead of name brands and 62% used loyalty cards that offer discounts.

MarketTools reported 58% of respondents only bought items when they were on sale and 43% bought more large-sized products.

Around two thirds of respondents reported using coupons for at least half of their shopping trips, while 49% said they use coupons on every, or nearly every, shopping trip.

On the other hand, 49% of respondents said a coupon would not prompt them to purchase a product they would not normally buy.

Highlights

One interesting finding was that coupon usage was most prevalent in higher-income households of US$75,000 or more, with 98% reporting they used coupons to save money on grocery bills. Meanwhile, 49% said they used coupons on every, or nearly every, shopping trip.

In contrast, only 38% of respondents with incomes of less than US$25,000 said they used coupons on every, or nearly every, shopping trip.

The survey found 72% received paper coupons from newspapers, while 37% reported using coupons from online sources.

Photo: Printable Coupons Guide

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