Contents

1. How do consumers make food purchasing decisions?
2. Price matters, but consumers are looking for value
3. What’s inside the package also influences the purchase
4. Convenience shapes both the product and the shopping experience
5. Don’t underestimate the shelf: decisions can change at the last minute
6. What makes a product move from the shelf to the shopping cart?
7. The best answers emerge when the market comes together
8. Frequently asked questions

How do consumers make food purchasing decisions?

Choosing what goes into the shopping cart involves a quick series of comparisons. Price gets attention, but it shares the decision with flavor, perceived quality, product composition and even how easily an item fits into everyday life. Together, these criteria shape a large part of food purchasing decisions.

MindMiners’ “Do prato ao copo” survey shows just how close that competition is, with flavor ranking ahead of price when Brazilians choose food and beverages: 68% of respondents consider flavor, compared with 64% who consider price.

That narrow gap suggests the decision depends far less on the price tag than it may seem. Composition, convenience and the point-of-sale experience all enter the equation, influencing assortment, positioning, communication and how products are presented across food retail.

Of course, that does not make price any less important. When budgets are tight, consumers scrutinize the value they get from each purchase and reconsider where it makes sense to save and where paying a little more may be worthwhile.

Price matters, but consumers are looking for value

When prices rise, consumers take a closer look at every item they put in their carts. According to MindMiners, 61% of consumers have already decided against buying a food or beverage because they considered it too expensive. Red meat was the category most affected, cited by 45%, followed by cheese and dairy products (15%), olive oil (14%) and alcoholic beverages (12%).

Even under these circumstances, the lowest price does not settle the decision. A study by consultancy SKIM among Latin American consumers found that benefits, quality and previous experiences matter to 73% of respondents, while pack size, promotions and discounts account for 63%.

At the shelf, shoppers weigh package size, how much product they are getting, whether they trust the brand and whether a discount makes the purchase worthwhile. They compare the price with what they expect to receive and decide where they can save without giving up what matters most to them.

This dynamic changes the price equation. Offering multiple package sizes, options for a range of budgets and well-planned promotions gives consumers alternatives when spending is under tighter control, without making discounts the product’s only selling point.

What’s inside the package also influences the purchase

In the same study, 43% of Brazilians said they avoid certain foods or beverages for health-related reasons. This puts ingredients, nutritional composition, quantity, portion size and sensory characteristics among the factors consumers consider before a product earns a place in the cart.

Much of that assessment starts with the packaging. It is where shoppers find information about ingredients, storage, preparation and quantity, while its format, size and presentation shape the product’s first impression in the supermarket aisle.

Packaging needs to make the product’s value clear. A distinctive ingredient, a nutritional benefit or an interesting production process can lose its appeal if consumers have to work too hard to understand it. The more clearly a product communicates what it offers, the easier it becomes to see how its value compares with competing options.

Format and usability complete the picture. Sizes suited to specific occasions, easy opening and storage, individual portions or family-size packs can make a product far more practical for everyday life.

What is shaping consumer choices?

Source: MindMiners and SKIM.

Convenience shapes both the product and the shopping experience

When it comes to convenience, the product itself is only part of the story. Finding what you need easily, having good options readily available and shopping through the most convenient channel all influence the decision.

The 2026 Consumer Preference Ranking from dunnhumby shows that price, promotions and rewards programs account for 35% of supermarket preference in Brazil, while product assortment represents 28%. Digital experience follows at 15%, operations and service at 14%, and the physical store environment at 7%.

The shopping journey can begin long before a product is picked up and continue on a smartphone screen. Well-stocked, organized shelves remain essential in physical stores, while apps make it easier to compare prices, repeat previous purchases and access coupons. In food, ready-to-eat formats, individual portions and easy preparation are especially useful for busy routines.

Consumption occasions can also help shape assortment. A quick meal, a snack, something to share or a purchase intended to last several days each calls for its own solutions, while placing complementary products nearby can make the choice easier.

Don’t underestimate the shelf: decisions can change at the last minute

Even shoppers who arrive with a clear shopping list may reach the checkout with products they never intended to buy. A timely promotion, a well-positioned launch or an eye-catching product along the way can still change what ends up in the cart.

The SKIM study gives a good indication of this influence: 57% of Latin American consumers change their choice at the point of sale when they encounter a promotion, while 69% are open to buying something they had not planned to purchase when presented with an attractive offer.

The shelf deserves as much attention as the product itself. Organization, visual prominence and clear communication can bring new products into view, make comparisons easier and place complementary categories together. Promotions require some balance, as the same study warns that aggressive and frequent discounts can erode perceived brand value over time.

There is another particularly useful tool when food is involved: sampling. If flavor leads the purchasing criteria in the MindMiners study, at 68%, offering consumers a taste gives the product a chance to present one of its strongest selling points before it even reaches the cart.

The decision continues to take shape at the shelf. Product visibility, surrounding stimuli and the opportunity to try something new can all influence the final choice.

What makes a product move from the shelf to the shopping cart?

There is no magic formula. Price sets the boundaries of what consumers can afford, while flavor, quality, ingredients, convenience, brand trust and the shopping experience complete the equation.

Perhaps the more useful question for the market is not simply “How much does it cost?”, but “Can consumers see why this product is worth its price?”

That perception of value is built through multiple details, from packaging that makes benefits easy to identify and an assortment that addresses different occasions and budgets to sampling that introduces a new product through flavor. Well-planned promotions can reinforce that work by encouraging trial without undermining the brand’s perceived value.

Price and value need to make sense within the same offer. When packaging, assortment, sampling and promotions reinforce that perception, a product is better positioned to compete for consumer preference.

The best answers emerge when the market comes together

Knowing what can win over consumers means keeping up with what is reaching the shelves, trying new products, discovering new solutions and exchanging ideas with professionals facing similar decisions every day. Bringing manufacturers, retailers, distributors and buyers into the same conversation is a practical way to move closer to those answers.

At Anuga Select Brazil, those exchanges happen face to face. Products are launched and sampled at the trade show, new offerings meet potential buyers, and suppliers can speak directly with the professionals who decide what earns a place on the shelf.

And those face-to-face conversations generate tangible results. In 2026, Anuga Select Brazil’s Mega Business Roundtable generated approximately R$150 million in business, bringing together more than 300 companies, around 3,000 meetings and 120 major Brazilian and international buyers. The event welcomed more than 14,000 visitors and featured over 550 exhibiting brands.

From April 6 to 8, 2027, at Distrito Anhembi in São Paulo, Anuga Select Brazil creates another opportunity to bring products, buyers and suppliers together.

Could your product be one of the next to stand out in the market? Exhibit at Anuga Select Brazil and present it directly to the people involved in these decisions. Learn more!