Amid rising costs and busy schedules, today’s consumers continue to make social meals with friends and family a central part of their lives. These moments of connection are important, offering a sense of togetherness that is best felt around the table with a tasty, nourishing meal.
Social meals are casual dining occasions hosted at home that go beyond everyday meals and major holidays – such as backyard barbeques, Sunday brunches, casual dinner parties, or having friends over to watch the game. These gatherings exclude regular household meals, special occasions like birthdays or graduations, and dining out.
Social meals are a high-impact opportunity that often goes overlooked or underleveraged by grocery retailers. Retailers that can navigate the shopping habits, preferences, and priorities of today’s consumers will be well-positioned to earn loyalty and increase basket size beyond holiday meals and special occasions.
The latest Butterball Togetherness Report explores the importance of social meals and how grocery retailers can leverage these moments to drive growth.
Social Meal Gatherings Are a Can’t-Miss Opportunity
Social meal moments play a meaningful role in everyday life, creating opportunities for today’s consumers to stay connected with friends and family (69%) and help them show they care (47%).
According to consumer estimates, these gatherings account for nearly one-third of grocery spend, representing a potential $281 billion opportunity that can drive year-round growth for grocery retailers. And consumer appetite for social meals is growing: 85% of consumers say they plan to have as many or more social meal gatherings in the next year – making this a critical moment for merchants to leverage these occasions to build long-term shopper loyalty.
Retailers, Take Notice: Shopper Behaviors Are Changing
Social meal gatherings elicit different consumer shopping behaviors. For example, when shopping for social meals, 41% of consumers split their trips across regular and new stores, and 33% visit multiple stores. Younger generations (Gen Z and Millennials) are especially prone to changing their shopping habits when preparing for entertaining. Younger consumers tend to spend more per gathering than older generations, making them a high-impact segment for grocery retailers.
Capitalizing on social meal moments requires retailers to rethink the overall shopping experience. Emphasizing convenience, connection, and ease can help create a fun and supportive environment that drives loyalty, particularly with younger shoppers who are looking for confidence-boosting recipes, cooking content, and friendly, helpful staff.
Becoming the Social Meal Shopper’s Go-To Store
Grocery retailers that embrace social meals can earn shopper loyalty that pays off year-round – not just at the holidays. By leaning into gathering opportunities like brunches, game days, or casual dinner parties, grocery stores can organically earn consumers’ attention through tactics that promote loyalty programs, leverage eCommerce platforms and provide consumers with protein-forward options.
Protein is often the anchor of these meals, making it a natural entry point for grocery retailers. Butterball’s new research shows that protein is included in 92% of social meal gatherings, and over half of consumers (52%) say that protein is the item they’re most likely to splurge on. This focus on protein opens the door for retailers, particularly meat departments, to meet shoppers where they are and solidify their place as consumers’ go-to destination for social meal shopping.
An Opportunity for Real Growth
Social meal gatherings go beyond holiday feasts and special occasions, providing frequent opportunities throughout the year for hosts to bring friends and family to the table for connection, conversation, and community. Grocery retailers who understand the importance of these moments and adapt to social meal shoppers’ preferences will do more than drive sales – they’ll build long-term loyalty that drives growth all year long.
Interested in learning more? Explore the latest Butterball Togetherness Report to uncover additional insights into the opportunity social meal gatherings represent for grocery retailers.
