Digital Receipts in Grocery: What Shoppers Want & Retailers Need
Reading time 2-3 minutes. Click above to listen to the article.
Why Digital Receipts Are the Future of Grocery Shopping
As grocery retail continues to evolve, one shift is becoming clearer than ever: the move from paper to digital receipts. New research highlights how consumer preferences in the grocery sector are driving this change, and what it means for food retailers.
Supermarket Digital Receipts: What Grocery Shoppers Want
According to the data, 71% of UK grocery shoppers choose a digital receipt when offered the option in-store. That figure rises to 81% among those who shop in grocery stores every day. This preference signals a significant move toward more sustainable and efficient grocery transactions.
Grocery Loyalty Programs Are Going Digital-First
Digital receipts within the grocery sector aren't just about saving paper & print costs; they also help with identifying non-loyalty customers, increasing personalisation and enhancing loyalty programmes, for example, by driving additional sign-ups and providing an online, easy-to-access receipt repository for customers.
Yocuda’s research found that 79% of loyalty cardholders would prefer to receive a digital receipt every time they shop. Furthermore, 66% have lost a paper receipt and realised they needed it to make a return or exchange.
The Push Toward Sustainability in Grocery Retail
Environmental concerns are also driving digital receipt adoption. A striking 85% of respondents believe that we will see fewer or no paper receipts within the next five years. That number climbs to 93% among daily grocery shoppers. This growing awareness of sustainability within grocery is what’s encouraging retailers to rethink their checkout processes.
Digital Receipts: A Win for Customer Experience in Grocery
When it comes to benefits, shoppers cited several key reasons for switching to digital receipts:
- 60% said they’re less likely to lose a digital receipt
- 59% believe digital receipts are better for the environment
- 50% said they’re easier to store than paper ones
Digital Receipts: Bagging the Benefits for Food Retailers
From a communications perspective, digital receipts offer retailers huge benefits through dynamic content, which helps to keep the conversation going after customers have left the store.
With open rates 4x higher than typical marketing emails, digital receipts provide a channel to share:
- Product recommendations
- Personalised offers
- Charity & community initiatives
- Sustainability commitments
- Customer surveys & reviews
- Online shopping lists
- Recipes, nutritional information & food provenance
- And more...
From Paper to Digital: A Receipt Revolution in Grocery
The transformation is already underway, and it’s happening fast. For grocery retailers, the message is clear: adopting digital receipts is no longer just a nice-to-have; it’s a strategic move to improve sustainability, enhance the customer experience, and drive loyalty penetration.
Key Stats at a Glance: View and Download Full Data Here
- 71% of grocery shoppers opt for digital receipts in-store
- 81% of daily shoppers prefer digital
- 79% want digital receipts with their loyalty card use
- 63% expect personalised offers
- 66% have lost a paper receipt needed for a return
- 85% expect fewer or no paper receipts within five years (93% of daily shoppers)
In summary, digital receipts open the door to in-store customer identification, personalised post-purchase engagement, loyalty sign-ups, and reduced friction at checkout - all while helping reduce waste and carbon emissions.
👉 Download the full infographic here.
Interested in learning more about how digital receipts for supermarkets can improve your customer experience and sustainability goals? Book a demo with us below.
