Friday, July 27, 2012

Man Aisle at the grocery store is modern convenience for “shopping challenged”



Hey dude: Would an aisle designed for you be a God-send or an insult? It seems a grocer from New York wants to make it easier for the “dudes” amongst us to get their stuff in a painless and easy to find lane at their local grocery store.

Chocked full of testosterone filled supplies the man aisle separates the sex’s right down the middle of the store. From steak sauce to six packs, the man-aisle assumes men only want the “bare necessities” and a quick get away, before they are spotted next to the wrong supplies. Problem with the idea is this: The “Man Aisle” is filled with unhealthy choices, over priced conveniences and assumes men won’t take the time to learn how to buy efficiently.

A recent study, by ratings expert Neilsen, revealed a steady trend: Due to the rise in unemployment men now shop more than they use to. One grocer thought that trying out a “male only” lane in the middle of the store might ease the pain for those testosterone shoppers who despise the navigating dilemma found when looking for the items they came to buy.

According to the ratings and tracking expert Nielsen, U.S. men are shopping more than ever:

“The stats still show that women do the majority of shopping in the U.S., but with men facing a higher unemployment rate than women (8.8% compared to 7.9%, according to a February 2011 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics report), more men are at home than in the past, and in many cases, they are taking a more active role in household duties. While women continue to dominate shopping trips in all retail channels except for convenience stores, men have increased trip shares between 2004 and 2010 in all retail channels but drug stores.”
http://blog.nielsen.com/nielsenwire/consumer/in-u-s-men-are-shopping-more-than-ever-while-women-are-watching-more-tv/)

The study revealed one major factor that most of us already knew: Women make planned trips versus men make quick trips in and out of the grocery store. Women spend about $44.43 per trip versus men spending $34.81 per trip. While the average trip investment is only a few dollars apart, the lack of planning may leave men spending more dollars per item on the average due to their lack of planning. Women may spend more per trip, but save more on their overall grocery bill due to planning and budgeting(coupons)ahead of time.

Personally, I rarely see men using coupons or grocery store shopping lists. However, I do see a lot of them grabbing and going through the store with lightening speed. Most men want to get-it-and-go when it comes to shopping, and I can’t say I blame them. In fact, whenever I look for a line at the checkout-stand I purposefully find one filled with men because I know they will get-it-and-go!

Where both genders, fairly, fall in-line is in their shopping habits during the week versus the weekend. Most prefer to avoid the toxic rush of a Saturday or Sunday trip to their local “big box” or discount department store. If you’ve ever gone shopping at Walmart on a Sunday, you know what I mean.

But I wonder….is there’s room for a girl aisle in the near future?

Quick Tips for Wellness: The “man-aisle” may spell convenience but will probably be overpriced and less healthy choice items, as well.

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