Hongkongers are the most likely of shoppers in 10 worldwide markets to go shopping without a list and leave a supermarket with items they would never have thought of buying.
This is the finding of a grocery-shopping survey of countries and regions, ranging from the US to the United Arab Emirates, in which Hong Kong buyers were rated the most impulsive. Market researcher Synovate, which conducted the survey, said this could explain why local supermarkets had so many promotions.
Researchers interviewed 6,700 people, including 1,002 from Hong Kong, by telephone in July. They found local consumers were the least likely to plan for a shopping trip. They were the most likely to shop whenever they had time instead of setting a regular time - 32 per cent, compared with the global average of 17 per cent. While 62 per cent globally said they usually took a shopping list, just 32 per cent of Hongkongers did so.
The survey also found the city's fast-paced lifestyle helped support the rising number of convenience stores, with 21 per cent saying they bought groceries from such outlets, second to Russia with 25 per cent.
'Hong Kong people feel time-poor and shopping hours are flexible here,' Synovate scan data specialist Eliza Wong said. 'Shops open around-the-clock and people do not need to plan shopping trips.'
Lack of space at home meant there was little room to store groceries, leading to frequent shopping trips. No lists were prepared beforehand because shops were usually nearby. 'If people are short of soy sauce when they cook, they can just go and buy it instantly,' Wong said.