Shopkick survey: 96% of US consumers buy cereal every time they shop, sweet brands still #1

In the run-up to National Cereal Day on March 7, Shopkick surveyed more than 43,000 US consumers about their cereal habits, brand allegiances and flavor preferences.

Results revealed that a third of US consumers buy one box of cereal per trip, 41% buy two and 19% buy three or more.

Half of the respondents buy cereal for their families, a third buy for themselves and only 8% buy the breakfast food exclusively for kids.

“When it comes to cereal, the pull of nostalgia is extremely strong and people have a deep loyalty to the brands and flavors they love, and want to be able to foster and share that bond with their own kids,” ​Kristy Stromberg, chief marketing officer of Shopkick, told BakeryandSnacks.

Most of the purchases (65%) occur at supermarkets with another 28% at superstores, including Walmart and Target.

Only 2% buy cereal at convenience or drugstores, though an earlier Mintel survey found that more than 40% of consumers consider it a snack, including 56% of millennials.

The lure of ecommerce has not yet hit the cereal sector, with only 0.2% of Shopkick respondents buying their favorite breakfast product online.

Sugary favorites still sway consumers

Shopkick listed 17 specific brands in the survey and results signal that consumers still prefer sweeter, more sugar-laden brands.

In fact, 45% selected ‘sweet’ cereals as most suited to their 'cereal personality,' compared to a third who chose ‘nutty’ or ‘fruity’ variants. Less than 20% of the respondents opted for ‘plain’ or ‘earthy.'

Americans also prefer brand names, with only 16% regularly purchasing generics.

Cinnamon Toast Crunch led the pack with 12% of consumers labeling the General Mills’ brand as their favorite. Cheerios, Cap’n Crunch and Frosted Flakes all garnered 10% of the votes, while Lucky Charms and Honey Bunches of Oats each snagged 8%.

Coming in eighth and ninth place respectively, Raisin Bran and Special K were tagged by 6% of consumers as their favorite.

By comparison, natural brands including Kashi, Grape-Nuts and Shredded Wheat each received less than 3% of first-place votes.

“We’ve seen that people are loyal to the brands and tastes they love, and despite a movement towards incorporating healthier options, consumers will always love classic favorites,”​ said Stromberg.

Notably, half the respondents cited flavor as the most important factor in deciding which cereal to buy. Only 18% care most about nutritional value and 17% consider price first.

Catching consumers

In 2017, Mintel’s cereal data concluded that only 14% of consumers buy single-serving packages, yet two in five said they wished cereal was more portable.

Shopkick’s survey hit on these themes, too. The majority agreed cereal is best in the morning; however, a third consider it an optimal late-night snack, while another 12% enjoy it as a midday snack, revealing a potential opening for cereal manufacturers to reach consumers in other dayparts.

Additionally, nearly half of consumers spend more than two minutes in the cereal aisle deciding what to purchase. Shopkick’s data did not dive into respondents’ reasoning for this time spent, but Stromberg added consumers weigh up price, packaging ‘that pops off the shelf,’ nutritional information and whether brands spark ‘happy memories.’

Surprisingly, savory flavors ruled the roost of top picks when it came to what cereal flavors respondents would like to see on the shelf.

Everything Bagel and Bacon and Eggs took 70% of the vote, with Avocado Toast and Biscuits & Gravy both breaking 10%.

“While shoppers are brand-loyal and have long-time favorites, they’re also getting more adventurous with food and enjoy trying new, boundary-pushing combinations,”​ said Stromberg.

“We don’t see that changing any time soon.”​