Grocery Shopping on a Student Budget: Smart Choices at the Supermarket Apr. 30, 2024 AUBG Senior student Stefan Leon emA UBG students are one of the most active consumer groups in BG Market’s stores as they try to fi nd nutritious and aff ordable food items. Th ere are a variety of options for them to choose from in order to maintain a healthy lifestyle. BG Market’s Marketing Director Vladimir Milenkov acknowledged the importance of students as a customer group. “Students shop at our supermarkets given the higher education institutions in town. Th at is why we strive to off er activities that are suited to their needs and preferences,” he said. Examples of such include fresh product offerings and interactive social media games. According to the results from a survey conducted among 50 AUBG students, 48% of the respondents shop 2-3 times a week and 44% do that once a week. Th is tendency is confi rmed by BG Market’s Marketing Director Vladimir Milenkov. “In Bulgaria, it is becoming more common that people shop “day by day” instead of “week by week”. Th e consumers tend to purchase more cooked meals during the weekdays, dealing with their fast-paced daily life,” he said. Th at is why all BG Market shops off er a storefront with hot meals that satisfy clients’ needs. Students prioritize certain factors when doing their groceries. According to the survey responses, the most important aspects when choosing a supermarket to shop at are th ff dble p d wide variety of p in line are c live and acces these need rious loc p cces various locations around Blagoev Sponsored by: phasized on BG Market’s off ering of sushi which has been popular among students because of its good value for money. “Th is was the bravest choice they could have made,” he said. BG Market strives to present promotions and aff ordable product prices to its customers which does not remain unnoticed. For Milenkov, the signifi cance of these aspects depends on the customer groups and their specifi c preferences. “For some, it is important to come in person to see and choose the products, for others, this is the location, and for a third group - the variety of products. However, the most essential aspect for everyone is the service; more specifi cally that it happens in a quick and accessible way with the assistance of kind and helpful staff ,” he said. Milenkov added that “a certain tendency of searching and demanding individual approach and service towards the client’s personal needs is becoming more evident.” People also want to maintain their health and well-being which impacts their product choices. “Consumers pay even more attention to the food’s origin and composition and search for higher quality ingredients, having in mind their own health. We notice that younger people search a lot more information about the benefi ts of certain products and how these impact the organism,” Milenkov said. Because of young people’s interest in hlhy li G Mk ff d undergraduates in pleasant and refreshing activities and provide them with an opportunity to win vouchers for shopping in our online store,” Milenkov said. Th e survey results show that students are very likely to choose a supermarket which is more aff ordable and works 24/7. Th is suits their demands to shop cheaply and at any time. Leon agrees with the importance of working hours. “It’s [BG Market] the one grocery store that is open past 8 PM which is the best thing they could have ever done. It works on a student schedule as opposed to everything else in the city,” he said. Th e survey also demonstrated that students do not consider the product’s availability for delivery through an online app to be that important. Nevertheless, there is a steady transition towards shopping online instead of at a physical store. People would like to save the time that is spent reaching the supermarket and going around the stands to fi nd the necessary products. Milenkov said that “the consumer is searching even more for the shorter path that leads to the desired products and satisfi es their needs. We felt this back during the pandemic. Th at is why, as a consequence of it, this alternative method of shopping through digital channels has appeared and developed in the last few years,” he said. BG Market currently has 10 shops around Blagoevgrad with two of them being in los o AG’ s. Th e e in ducts m.bg/ and y of m.bg/ 16 Sprin n Ha r y D i k o v
17 Publizr Home