Tell or trust a friend

Getting on the radar of young shoppers means owning the right touch points.

So, what is influential for FMCG?

Boomers and Gen Z alike still compile shopping lists and both share the love for loyalty programs. Being digital natives, young shoppers are also strongly influenced by digital coupons and retailer apps. And Gen Z particularly relies on word-of-mouth, on personal recommendations.

In general, peer reviews, be it recommendations, endorsements or product reviews, are a strong argument for young shoppers. A promotion similar to “invite a friend and get a discount”, could seriously work well in the increasingly digitized environment of FMCG.

Top 5 touch points that influence purchase decisions in FMCG

Gen Z

  1. Shopping list
  2. Loyalty programs
  3. Digital coupons
  4. Retailer apps
  5. Word of mouth

Boomers

  1. Shopping list
  2. Loyalty programs
  3. Promotion leaflets
  4. Retailer apps
  5. Digital coupons

Source: YouGov Behavior Change Fall ’24, EU-20

For Gen Z, social media content is already as influential as promotion leaflets – unlike for boomers, where social media rank at the very bottom.

Young shoppers expect FMCG brands to keep it practical on socials: foremost deals and discounts, and – more than others – product reviews, followed by tips and tricks. Roughly 25% of young shoppers want to buy FMCG brands directly via social media.