UK shoppers are on the hunt for new products despite talk of a new ‘age of austerity’.

Almost half of consumers (47%) actively look out for new grocery products during their regular shop, according to IGD research. Almost a third (32%) said they had bought a new product in the past month.

"At a time when money is tight, retailers and manufacturers should not walk away from innovation - shoppers haven't,” said IGD chief executive Joanne Denney-Finch.

“In 2005, 47% of British shoppers said they were consciously looking out for new grocery products when shopping. Five years on, and even post-recession, British shoppers still have an appetite for new products - but what they're looking for is changing.

Shoppers polled for the IGD's latest Shopper-led Product & Range Innovation report cited the health credentials of new products as the factor most likely to drive a purchase, ahead of perceptions over ‘quality’ and ‘performance’.

Denney-Finch added: “As we enter a new landscape, companies must address the evolving needs of today's shoppers through their research and development and continue to push technical boundaries.”

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