Shopping at different food retail formats: Understanding cross-shopping behavior through retail format selective use patterns

Abstract

Purpose

The aim of this paper is to address intertype cross-shopping behavior – that is, the behavior that characterizes consumers who divide their grocery shopping between two or more different food formats. In particular, the study attempts to shed light on the cross-shopping phenomenon by employing a new research approach that examines format-selective use. Thus, the study examines how various factors, especially way of life aspects typically associated with food consumption, drive consumers to cross-shop between different food formats.

Design/methodology/approach

The study employs data collected from two surveys involving 637 Israeli Jewish and Arab consumers. The conceptual framework and hypothesis are tested using multiple regression analyses.

Findings

The empirical results support our claim that the research approach applied in this study better explains the cross-shopping phenomenon. Specifically, the analysis provides strong support for the effect of consumers' way of life on cross-shopping behavior.

Practical implications

The paper provides managerial and planning implications to modern retailers and managers of international retail firms that operate in or plan to enter non-Western markets.

Originality/value

This paper contributes to the available literature in several ways. In particular, the paper suggests a systematic and comprehensive conceptual framework that identifies the key determinants of cross-shopping decisions and the relations between these and supermarkets' market share growth.

Citation

Hino, H. (2014), "Shopping at different food retail formats: Understanding cross-shopping behavior through retail format selective use patterns", European Journal of Marketing, Vol. 48 No. 3/4, pp. 674-698. https://doi.org/10.1108/EJM-12-2011-0764