Shopping at different food retail formats : Understanding cross-shopping behavior through retail format selective use patterns

Purpose – The aim of this paper is to address intertype cross-shopping behavior – that is, the behavior that characterizes consumers who divide their grocery shopping between two or more different food formats. In particular, the study attempts to shed light on the cross-shopping phenomenon by employing a new research approach that examines format-selective use. Thus, the study examines how various factors, especially way of life aspects typically associated with food consumption, drive consumers to cross-shop between different food formats. Design/methodology/approach – The study employs data collected from two surveys involving 637 Israeli Jewish and Arab consumers. The conceptual framework and hypothesis are tested using multiple regression analyses. Findings – The empirical results support our claim that the research approach applied in this study better explains the cross-shopping phenomenon. Specifically, the analysis provides strong support for the effect of consumers' way of life on cross-shopping behavior. Practical implications – The paper provides managerial and planning implications to modern retailers and managers of international retail firms that operate in or plan to enter non-Western markets. Originality/value – This paper contributes to the available literature in several ways. In particular, the paper suggests a systematic and comprehensive conceptual framework that identifies the key determinants of cross-shopping decisions and the relations between these and supermarkets' market share growth.