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SURVEY: FEW SHOPPERS PREFERRED SUPERMARKETS

DAYTON, Ohio -- Supermarkets drew a fraction of shoppers planning to purchase their back-to-school supplies compared to other formats, according to a survey conducted in the July pre-season by The School and Home Office Products Association here.nt stores, slightly over one-third mentioned drug stores, slightly under one-third office supply superstores, about one-quarter wholesale clubs, and a little

DAYTON, Ohio -- Supermarkets drew a fraction of shoppers planning to purchase their back-to-school supplies compared to other formats, according to a survey conducted in the July pre-season by The School and Home Office Products Association here.

nt stores, slightly over one-third mentioned drug stores, slightly under one-third office supply superstores, about one-quarter wholesale clubs, and a little more than one-sixth cited supermarkets.

It was noted that those households with higher income levels ($40,000 plus) were more likely to plan to shop at both office supply superstores and wholesale clubs than those households with lower incomes.

Preferred retail outlet varied by region. Households in the Midwest were more apt to mention discount stores; drug stores were cited more frequently in the Northeast; office supply superstores by households in the Northeast and West; and wholesale clubs in the West.

While the number of children in the household was not a factor in planned shopping behavior, respondents who described themselves as nonwhite more frequently mentioned drug stores, wholesale clubs, and supermarkets than those respondents who described themselves as white.

In terms of gender, the only statistically significant difference between the sexes was that male respondents were more likely than females to cite office supply superstores as one of the retail channels at which they planned to shop.

When asked about back-to-school shopping and the type of retail store at which the majority of supplies are purchased, slightly over one-half mentioned discount stores; about one-tenth each cited drug stores, office supply superstores, and wholesale clubs; and about one-fifth supermarkets.

With regard to household income and respondent education, those with incomes of $50,000 or more and with post-graduate education were more likely to mention office supply superstores as the retail channel where most of the school supplies are purchased.

Statistically significant regional differences include the findings that households in the Midwest were more apt to answer discount stores than other areas of the nation and that those in the Northeast and West mentioned office supply superstores more frequently. This is the first of a three-part survey conducted for SHOPA by the TeleNation division of Market Facts, Inc., a New York-based consumer research firm.