Discount shoppers: More upmarket than you’d expect
The discount channel has become an increasingly important channel in recent years throughout Europe, albeit at different levels in different countries. An ever increasing number of shoppers are attracted in-store by the lure of low prices, convenient locations, and simpler assortments.
The logical assumption would be that such an offering would attract down-market shoppers in search of a bargain. It is not only a logical assumption but also a common perception that the discount shopper is down-market, but this is actually a myth. Being price conscious should not be mistaken with being value driven. For example, in the UK, Lidl shoppers even consider themselves bigger connoisseurs of food and wine than those who shop in Tesco and Aldi.
Looking at discount shoppers in France, Germany, Poland and the UK we see that there is no strong over index in the lower income groups and the overall profile cannot be described as down-market.
