Consumer resumes habits like Exchange of brands and buy of the month

Change already impacts supermarket sector, which accumulates growth of only 1.63% until August; entrepreneurs trying to dribble deceleration with promotions and new product mix
Sneha Agrawal
São Paulo-exchange of first-rate brands, reducing trips to the market and greater control of purchases. The consumer uses all the features to keep you on budget. And what directly affects the result of the supermarket sector should remain in the coming months until the end of the year.
"With wage income to grow just 2.5 percent this year, the consumer has switched mark inside the supermarket. Before they bought the first-rate, today are in search of those that will bring you lower cost, "explained Economist of the São Paulo commercial Association (ACSP), Emilio Alfieri.
For the expert, that's no reason to despair from the moment, because it is a segment that plays with essential items-food-, they have been less impacted by the economic downturn. "They like the sectors of durable goods, which are in the negative. Supermarkets have shown growth even in a scenario of instability like that, "he says.
Alfieri stressed, however, that the consumer, rather than stop buying, resumed an old habit: purchases of supplies. "The Brazilian has gone to the supermarket earlier this month, after receiving the salary. With that, he can somehow maintain the level of purchase that had previously, "he explained.
Moreover, the inflation scenario, which brought high in price of some categories at the beginning of the year Brazilian spooked, so the storage of some products and promotional packages has gained prominence at the point of sale. "They buy more at the beginning of the month with fear that the price increase at the end. The same happened in the Decade of 1980, "said the Chief Economist of the ACSP.
Change of habit
The new consumer habit was identified by a survey conducted by Nielsen. The consultancy pointed out that one of the concerns of the Brazilian consumer nowadays is the maintenance of their economic level, achieved four years ago. For this, he has reduced the consumption outside the home; diversified shopping channels; declined the trip to shops and opting for the purchase of cheaper brands.
"The consumer profile will not change, but the economic moment will force people to assess better the purchase, as regards quantity and options to offer," said project manager for shopper solution from Nielsen, Sabrina Balhes.
According to her, trips to supermarkets decreased by around 2% in the second quarter of the year, when the average income of households grew 2.6 percent, against 6 percent inflation, which impacted on the elevation of the indebtedness. "Companies have realized they need to work better the presence in supermarkets, which has influenced to a growth of atacarejos in the country," he added.
For the senior partner of Gouvea de Souza-GS & MD-Louis Goes, high inflation has led families to be more selective in buying time, since people don't want to consume products that previously were part of the basic basket, like dairy and yoghurt. "This scenario has made consumers migrate to lower and reduce marks units of some items," said Louis Goes.
Sectoral balance sheet
Sales in the supermarket sector grew by 2.53 percent in August, as pointed out by the National Sales Index released by the Brazilian Association of Supermarkets (Open).
According to the survey of the entity, the result represents a high of 2.63% in sales, compared with the same period last year. YTD high was 1.63%, down from 2013. All data published by the entity are already deflated.