Local Demographics

As part of the module,
Customer Profiles, Business Objectives and Reputation
I conducted an online survey to investigate consumer preferences regarding where they prefer to shop for groceries and to gather opinions on world foods.
Utilizing Google Forms, I collected data from a diverse group of participants to understand their shopping habits and priorities when choosing a primary store for their regular grocery needs. This report will delve into the key findings of the survey, analyze the implications, and discuss potential avenues for further research.

K4: The makeup of the local community and the requirements of customers within it.(CP1, CP6)

K1: The customer profile of the business and the

customers' purchasing habits

Overall Enhanced Strategy:

  1. Prioritize Simplicity: Across all cuisines, focus on easy-to-follow recipes, readily available ingredients, and convenience. Provide online resources (recipe links, video tutorials) to support home cooks.

  2. Embrace Fusion and Adaptation: Offer dishes that blend familiar British flavors with influences from South Asian, Mediterranean, and Middle Eastern cuisines. This caters to both the local demographic and the expressed interest in experimentation.

  3. Cater to Diverse Tastes: While British cuisine remains a core focus, ensure representation of South Asian flavors and offer introductory options for Caribbean and African cuisine.

  4. Use Local Data & Customer Feedback: Continuously monitor demographic trends, sales data, and customer feedback (surveys, social media) to refine offerings and stay aligned with evolving preferences.

  5. Marketing and Education: Highlight the simplicity and accessibility of the recipes, and provide information about the different cuisines and ingredients. Offer cooking classes or workshops to encourage experimentation.

By integrating the survey data about recipe preferences with the demographic information, food businesses in Kidlington can develop a more targeted and effective strategy that resonates with the local community's tastes and desires.

The majority of respondents (66.7%) wanted simple recipe suggestions or links to online resources. This suggests a preference for recipes that are easy to follow and don't require extensive knowledge of international cuisine. The results show a strong preference for Mediterranean and Middle Eastern Cuisine respectively and a willingness to experiment with new flavours and cooking styles.

My survey primarily captures the opinions of middle-aged adults (45-54) suggesting a few things about demographics:

This age group may be more prevalent in Kidlington.
Middle-aged adults are generally comfortable with technology and online platforms like Google Forms, which could explain their higher participation rate. Younger generations might prefer different communication channels, while older adults may have less access to or comfort with online tools.

The opinions and preferences expressed in the survey likely reflect the specific interests and priorities of middle-aged adults. For example, their views on grocery shopping, world foods, and culinary inspiration might differ from those of younger or older generations.

Middle-aged adults are often at a stage in life where they have established families and careers. This can influence their shopping habits, food choices, and overall priorities.

Each generation has unique experiences and cultural influences that shape their perspectives. The dominance of middle-aged adults in your survey results suggests that their generational outlook may be particularly prominent in the data.

Key Observations:

  • While the high percentage of White British residents indicates a strong demand for traditional cuisine, the preference for simple recipes suggests a focus on easy-to-prepare versions of classic dishes. Businesses should prioritise convenience and provide clear, concise recipes or ready-meal options.

  • The Asian/Asian British population, coupled with the general preference for Mediterranean/Middle Eastern flavors and simple recipes, suggests an opportunity for businesses to offer accessible South Asian dishes, fusion cuisine, and meal kits that combine familiar flavors with new culinary experiences.
    Cultural Fusion Cuisine: Exploring the Art of Mixing Food and Heritage - Discover, Explore, Enjoy







  • Smaller but Significant Asian Population: While smaller than the national average, the 6.3% Asian/Asian British population is still a substantial segment of the community. This suggests a market for South Asian (Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Sri Lankan) and potentially East Asian (Chinese, Japanese, Korean, etc.) foods.

Key dates in the calendar and how to promote them across the store. Use visual merchandising from across the competitor’s stores.

  • Lower Black Population: The Black/Black British population is considerably lower than the national average.
    Although the Black/Black British population is smaller, the community's openness to experimentation presents an opportunity to introduce Caribbean and African flavors through simplified recipes, familiar formats, and tasting options.

  • Average Mixed Population: The percentage of people identifying as Mixed ethnicity aligns with the national average.

  • Area & Population

    Area: Kidlington, Oxfordshire, South East England.
    Population: 14,644 (2021 consensus)

    Nearest train station: Oxford Parkway providing services to London Marylebone: via Bicester Village (great for shopping!) and Oxford: For connections to other destinations across the UK.

    Just over a mile from Sainsbury’s, Oxford Road.

  • Age

    0-17 years 2,571

    18-64 years 8,761

    65+ years 3,328

    The Median age group is 40-49

  • Country of birth

    UK 11,547 EU 1,199
    Europe (other) 201

    Middle East & Asia 278
    Africa 980

    Other countries 424

  • Ethnic Group

    White 12,227 Asian 1,321

    Black 259

    Arab 97

    Mixed/multiple 498

    Other ethnic group 262

  • Religion

    Christian 7,683 (56.2%)

    Muslim 450 (3.3%)

    Hindu 227 (1.7%)

    Sikh 67 (0.5%)

    Buddhist 57 (0.4%)

    Jewish 27 (0.2%)

    Other religion 46 (0.3%)

    No religion 5,116 (37.4%)

YOUR BRAND

YOUR BRAND

Take a minute to write an introducIn Kidlington, the Zabka Store on the Parade, close to Sainsbury’s, is the sole ethnic market I’ve identified, catering specifically to Polish products. There appears to be a lack of other stores providing Kosher, Halal, or a broader selection of ethnic goods. For Halal items, the closest option is located on Cowley Road. However, it’s worth noting that Tesco in Bicester and on Cowley Road have recently expanded their offerings to include both fresh and frozen Halal products. Additionally, the Sainsbury’s Local at Cowley Retail Park boasts a respectable assortment of fresh and frozen goods, while the selection at Heyford Hill may vary.

We currently offer an assortment of chilled products and a select variety of basic frozen foods (Azeem frozen chicken breasts, wings and some grills. We could consider initiating a targeted sales campaign to capture a unique segment within the local marketplace. This would involve weekly monitoring of stock levels and sales performance. Additionally, we could plan to leverage community-focused social media networks like Next Door to engage and attract prospective customers.To measure the success of the sales drive, we can employ the following metrics:

Sales Volume: Track the number of chilled and frozen products sold weekly.

Revenue Growth: Compare weekly revenue before and after the campaign launch.

Market Share: Analyze our share in the local market niche before and after the sales drive.

Customer Acquisition: Count the number of new customers gained through the campaign.

Engagement Rates: Monitor likes, shares, and comments on Next Door posts to gauge customer interest.

Conversion Rate: Measure the percentage of social media viewers who make a purchase.

Inventory Turnover: Assess how quickly stock is sold and replenished.

Profit Margins: Evaluate the profit margins on chilled and frozen goods sold during the campaign.

Regularly reviewing these indicators will provide a comprehensive understanding of the campaign’s impact and guide future business strategies.

Notes/Independent Research

13/08/24 - Golden Acre Foods launches five halal products across Najma and Jaldee Eats brands The SKUs will launch into Tesco on 19 August, with additional listings expected later in the year - more here

I wanted to quickly highlight a recent initiative by Tesco that celebrated the Sikh festival of Vaisakhi. The idea was spotted by an area manager who recognized a niche for honouring this cultural event within the retail sector. This observance reflects their commitment to diversity and inclusion and I believe our store can do better. more here

Sainsbury’s - biggest investment into its world foods category will launch across over 1,000 stores, with the offering in each store set to “reflect the demographic of the local community”. more here

These insights into Kidlington’s demographics can help us tailor our store’s offerings and marketing strategies to better meet the needs of our diverse customer base, potentially boosting sales and enhancing customer satisfaction.

I'll add this to my evidence portfolio once both you and Dal have read it and please let me know your thoughts. I am missing one piece of information Can you please complete research as discussed on the demographic of the area of the store, see if you think the stock you sell is appropriate for the demographic and does the colleagues working there reflect the demographic of the area.

I need to know if possible how many of our colleagues identity as white/ethnic/so on as per the figures above. This information would be a good way to further drive sales through word of mouth.

Please Mark could you discuss the contents of this email with Dal when you're both free.

As always appreciate your time. I think I'm back in on Tuesday as I've broken the initial week off into blocks of days.

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Mtion that is short, sweet, and to the point.