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The paper reports the results of a study of food shopping behaviour in Greece. It is concerned with establishing the dimensions underlying shoppers’ evaluations of their regular supermarket store attributes, exploring the existence of shopper segments and subsequently, identifying the segments in terms of shopping behaviour and attitudes to store features. The main research instrument is a survey of adult Greek grocery shoppers in the metropolitan area of the city of Thessaloniki. The empirical results indicate that there are three dimensions that underlie the importance of store features. These are defined respectively as ‘Store design and variety’, ‘Personnel and service’, and ‘Convenient location’. The application of cluster analysis to the dimensions factor scores reveals four clusters. The characteristics of each cluster are described by average factor scores on the dimensions of store features, demographic characteristics, attitudes to store features, store loyalty, and motives for regular store choice.

Considers the brand and store choice behaviour of grocery shoppers and explores relationships among consumer characteristics, brand choice criteria and store selection criteria. A survey was carried out to collect data on demographic profiles and decision criteria of shoppers in the Greek grocery sector. The data were collected through in‐store, personal interviews and subsequently analysed using descriptive as well as optimal scaling methods. The data reveal asymmetric evaluations of choice criteria and some clear and interesting patterns regarding the two choice processes. In addition, several associations between brand and store preferences are identified and related to specific demographic characteristics of the consumers. The present work is a first attempt at addressing these issues in the grocery Greek market and leaves considerable room for further research.

To provide a general understanding of grocery consumers' retail format choice in the US marketplace.

A random sample of US grocery consumers (N=454) was surveyed using a self‐administered questionnaire. Descriptive and inferential statistical techniques (regression, ANOVA) were used to evaluate the data.

Identifies demographic groups who frequent specific formats (specialty grocers, traditional supermarkets, supercenters, warehouse clubs, internet grocers) and examines store attributes (e.g. price competitiveness, product selection, and atmosphere) as drivers of format choice.

The results included in this research were gathered and reported on an individual format basis. In order to capture consumer choices across a range of grocery retail formats, forcing respondents to compare formats was not initiated. In addition, data pertaining to whether consumers had access to each and every type of format in the study were not collected. Examination of how dimensions of consumer access limit or expand retail patronage behavior could also be highly beneficial to grocery retailers.

This research provides grocery retailers that operate within the USA specific knowledge of the attributes that consumers consider to be most important when making format choices (e.g. cleanliness, price competitiveness, product assortment, courtesy of personnel), and identifies the demographic characteristics of these consumers. The results suggest marketing strategy implications for grocery retailers that operate in the US market. As competition in the sector continues to evolve and consumer demographics change within the US market, understanding the consumer‐format choice linkage will be critical to retailer performance in the industry.

This exploratory study uses demographics and store attributes as a framework for profiling consumers by their ultimate retail format choice. The paper is unique because there are few similar empirical studies focused on the US grocery sector.

This study aims to assess factors influencing customers’ online grocery shopping experiences, and it evaluates the central role of customer service and consumers’ responses to satisfying grocery shopping.

A mixed-methods approach was used; linguistic inquiry and the word count (LIWC) method captured qualitative aspects of consumers’ grocery shopping experience, whereas partial least square-structure equation modeling tested hypotheses regarding antecedents to consumers’ overall online grocery shopping experience.

The PLS-based analysis confirmed the qualitative insights, establishing the significance of customer service, which accounted for 68% variance in the overall experience and 42% variance in customer satisfaction, along with other experience antecedents such as website, product and delivery.

Future researchers could further analyze experience as a dynamic process focusing on consumer and retailer brand-focused constructs, specifically focusing on creating a holistic understanding of customer service that establishes coherence between retailers’ marketing values and their customer service.

Managers should acknowledge the importance of customer service in creating a satisfying customer experience, and they should respond to consumer concerns, resulting in enhanced brand-related experience.

Responding to the call for a better understanding of customer service, this study brings out the challenges online grocery shoppers are facing in terms of customer service and empirically establishes customer service as a key driver of customer experience, thereby extending the earlier work on customer service and online customer experience.

The purpose of this paper is to compare and contrast customer perceptions related to satisfaction with conventional grocery stores as compared to specialty grocery stores. The study examines store attributes of product assortment, price, quality, and service in order to determine which attributes have the greatest impact on store satisfaction for each store format.

A mail survey was sent to a sample of specialty and conventional grocery store customers. The ten state sample was drawn from US households located in postal (ZIP) codes in areas where national specialty stores (e.g. whole foods) were located.

Perception of satisfaction were higher among specialty grocery store customers compared to conventional grocery store customers. For both store formats, store price, product assortment, service and quality positively influenced satisfaction. Stepwise regression indicated that each store attribute contributed differently to store satisfaction for conventional and specialty store formats.

The results demonstrate that price, product assortment, quality, and employee service influence store satisfaction regardless of store type (conventional stores or specialty stores). However, the degree of influence of these attributes varied by store type. The results imply that while specialty store shopper satisfaction characteristics are clearly delineated, conventional store shopper characteristics are more difficult to pinpoint. Research limitations include a sample that is more highly educated and has higher incomes than the average American household.

Despite the growth of new product categories and new industry players, few studies have investigated customer satisfaction within the retail food industry. Comparisons of specialty and conventional food stores are equally scarce.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the evolution of the quantity surcharge phenomenon as a conscious pricing policy as well as the resulting consumer awareness and reactions to quantity surcharges.

The approach taken is a comparative analysis of two distinct time periods involving two store audits and two consumer surveys conducted in 1989 and 2007.

The findings indicate that the quantity surcharge incidents recorded in the market in both periods are the result of a conscious pricing policy. At the same time, evidence suggests that the more mature the market becomes, the less frequent and less intense the phenomenon of quantity surcharges becomes. Consumers' attitude and reaction to quantity surcharges are also discussed indicating that the market's evolution has also an effect on consumers.

The paper discusses quantity surcharges as a conscious pricing policy and examines the effect of retail change on the quantity surcharge phenomenon.

Last mile distribution is a crucial element of any supply chain network, and its complexity has challenged established practices and frameworks in the management literature. This is particularly evident when demand surges, as with recent lockdowns due to the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent demand for home delivery services. Given the importance of this critical component, this study recommends horizontal collaboration as a possible solution for retailers seeking to improve the quality of their services.

This study investigates whether horizontal collaboration should be considered as an option for faster and greener distribution of groceries ordered online. Using the United Kingdom and Greek grocery markets that differ in terms of online grocery penetration, distribution network structure and delivery times, the study discusses how the effectiveness of pooling resources can create positive spillover effects for consumers, businesses and society.

Despite their differences, both markets indicate the need for horizontal collaboration in the highly topical issue of last mile delivery.

Taking a theoretical and practical view in cases of disruption and constant pressure in last mile distribution, horizontal collaboration supports retailers to coordinate routes, increase fleet and vehicle utilisation, reduce traffic and carbon emissions while improving customer satisfaction.

Attitudes of Australian and Greek‐Australian consumers towards hypothetical foreign‐owned and domestic‐owned supermarkets in Australia were studied. Although attitudes towards the domestic‐owned supermarket were found to be identical between the Australians and the Greek‐Australians, the latter were significantly more supportive of the foreign supermarket. Consumer ethnocentrism was found to be correlated with a negative attitude towards a foreign‐owned supermarket. Finally, the more the migrants identified with their cultural origin, the more support they showed towards the foreign supermarket. The findings of this paper provide an insight to the complex nature of the relationship between ethnic identity and consumer behaviour.

The purpose of this paper is to examine consumer behavior towards Greek convenience stores chains and to determine the criteria on which store selection is based. The paper also analyses the stores’ position in the retail sector.

A random sample of 360 convenience store consumers was surveyed across four major cities. Data were collected through personal interviews, using a structured questionnaire. Statistical analysis was applied to further evaluate the information.

Consumers choose convenience stores mainly to cover their daily needs and save time on shopping, despite their dissatisfaction with the provided services. The survey also identified the characteristics of convenience store customers and their preferences.

The principal contribution of the present research is its focus on consumer behavior towards convenience stores in Greece.

This paper aims at developing profiles of consumers who have already conducted shopping through the Internet and of those who are interested to adopt Internet shopping as an innovation. Based on the theories and processes of consumer adoption decision and diffusion of innovations, the study measures demographic and behavioural characteristics, as well as perceptions and preferences of Greek consumers towards distance shopping in general and Internet retailing in particular. The survey conducted offers insightful preliminary empirical data based on which detailed profiles of Internet shoppers (“innovators”) and interested‐to‐adopt Internet shopping (“early adopters”) are developed. The empirical research findings of this study provide relevant managerial implications while setting the foundation for future research directions in this area.