Competitiveness of food and grocery retailers in Hungary, perceived by young consumers

Abstract

The aim of the study is to show what competitive factors are present in the Hungarian food and grocery retailing sector from the perspective of young consumers, i.e. to examine how and where young people shop, and what position the largest food and grocery retailers occupy in their minds when we examine the purchasing criteria and characteristics. To achieve these objectives, we conducted a quantitative survey in the form of an online questionnaire (CAWI). In February 2022, we asked university students about their attitudes towards shopping in general and daily shopping. The results show that young people have a positive attitude towards shopping, while their attitude towards daily grocery shopping is more neutral. The awareness of the chains surveyed is high. In terms of their shopping, they seem to have a high preference for discounters and supermarkets close to their home/daytime commute. In terms of sympathy for the individual chains, discounters are seen to stand out. It can be seen that young people already have an image of certain food and daily consumer goods retailers, so it may be worth targeting them when planning marketing work.

In terms of the purpose and results of the research, an important conclusion is that the young target group seems to be increasingly important as they have an insight into the chains and, due to their life situation, they are already increasingly present among the target groups where the focus on spendable income may be relevant. The results of the research presented in this paper will contribute to the existing knowledge by demonstrating to the academic community the purchasing behavior of a new target group. At the same time, the results are also useful for market players, as they provide good feedback on possible changes that may be needed in the area of communication or even marketing strategy.