5 reasons why a trip to the supermarket is a good thing

When my children were small, shopping online for groceries became a thing. There was a lot of fanfare and all my friends who were all new mums at the time jumped on the wagon.

We talked about how convenient it was – “you can literally shop for groceries while the babies sleep and you’re in your pyjamas!“

We talked about how the delivery person literally put all the shopping bags on your kitchen bench – no more lugging everything in from the car!

But I just couldn’t nail it. By the time I had set up my list and figured out what was on special, I could have driven to the supermarket, gone through my usual supermarket routine and come home again and unloaded the groceries.

I did feel as though I’d failed to be honest. How could I not make that one simple switch from instore to online? So I stuck to shopping in the supermarket.

10 years on, I’m still in the supermarket a few times a week. Still no online groceries for me. Turns out there are several reasons why I actually like heading to the supermarket …

1. It gets the kids involved

Sure it’s easier to leave the kids at home (or do the groceries online while they’re doing something else) but getting them into the supermarket allows me to teach them how to plan the shop, look for specials and select the best fresh produce.

At some point in their lives, they’re going to need to know how to function on their own; food and shopping for food will be a big part of their budget so needs to be done right

2. I get a coffee

You know how some supermarket trolleys now have the cup holder? Haha that’s all because of me! Kidding of course but I’m just like all those others who love to grab a coffee before their shop and then sip my way through the aisles.

It probably slows me down a bit (and I probably spend a bit more time browsing) but I’m happy. It’s a little time out for me – while I’m in the supermarket with my coffee, I’m not racing someone somewhere or folding washing!

3. I run into all sorts of people I know

The older I get, the more people I know and the supermarket is a great place to run into the friends I don’t get time to catch up with. Sure it’s only a 5 minute chat amongst the veges but it’s still lovely to connect with them.

4. I get to be the one to select what goes into my trolley

This one continues to be a big reason for me to do my shop. If I’m there to get fresh fruit and veges, I want to be the one to sift through and choose the pieces that go into my trolley.

5. I get to earn points for scanning the bar codes on the groceries I buy which convert to awesome prizes and gift cards – I’ve just become an IRI Shopper Panel member!

Become an IRI Shopper Panel member and you’ll be helping retailers and manufacturers decide which products us mums actually want on the shelves and how often we’ll buy them. The ‘consumer power’ behind the IRI shopper panel helps companies determine how often they need to put products on promotion in order to get us to buy!

Once you’ve applied to be a member of the IRI Shopper Panel (complete the full form as they do have certain criteria you need to meet in order to be accepted), you’ll receive a set up email with a link to download their app onto your iPhone, iPad or Android device.

You’re then ready to get started. Once you login to the app, you’ll also receive two $10 flexi e-giftcards, $10 when you send your first scan and another $10 for four weeks of scanning.

It’s well and truly worth a little scanning time – there is a catalogue with loads of options for rewards, giftcards, products (even includes iPads and FitBits) you can redeem with your points. And from all accounts it’s faster and more rewarding to earn points through IRI than you will with other supermarket card rewards programs.

If that’s not enough reason to apply to be an IRI Shopper Panel member, they also host fab competitions where you have the chance to win cool prizes and giftcards.

It’s worth checking out – you can apply and find out everything you need to know right here.

Or have a peek at what some Mouths of Mums members were saying about being an IRI Shopper Panel member recently via MoM Answers. Those who are already members love it and said even their kids love to get involved with the scanning!

p.s. GOOD NEWS!

If you actually do like to do your shopping online, you can absolutely still be an IRI Shopper Panel member – all you need to do is scan the barcodes of all the groceries you’ve purchased from the comfort of your own home. Simply scan them as you pack them all away! You’ll earn your points and prizes just the same way as you would scanning in store.

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19 Comments

- - mom94125 said
  - 29 Sep 2017
    9:12 am
the panel sounds good but i would like to know more specifics. do you get cards for set amount of time or per 1000 scans or so.
- mom94125 replied
  
  05 Oct 2017 , 3:19 pm
  it would be great to hear of other panels as well
- - ella12 said
  - 21 Feb 2017
    4:49 pm
I too love a trip to the supermarket.

- - mom81879 said
  - 10 Jan 2017
    8:54 am
I love grocery shopping. On my own or with the kids, I’ve always found it very therapeutic

- - mom90758 said
  - 05 Oct 2016
    9:48 pm
I am an IRI shopper panel member too. It doesn’t take long to scan your groceries and it’s a way of getting some extra rewards!!

- - mom19782016 said
  - 05 Oct 2016
    9:15 pm
I’m a sucker for supermarket shopping too. There’s nothing like seeing it in real life!

- - smart_ass said
  - 05 Oct 2016
    4:23 pm
I love heading to the shops and seeing new products, what’s on special etc

- - tessie said
  - 02 Oct 2016
    3:01 am
I prefer to do my shopping in the actual stores. That way I can see what other items are on special. I also get to choose the fruit and vegetables at the ripeness I like. It may take a little bit longer and cost fuel but I get fresh air and see people I don’t see too often

- - mom101628 said
  - 28 Sep 2016
    10:26 pm
Not interested in being an IRI scanner – but do like to get out of the house even if it’s only to go shopping.

- - rovermum said
  - 28 Sep 2016
    11:21 am
I must admit, I don’t mind the grocery shopping – when I do it on my own! My son is now at High School, but from the time he started primary school I decided it was best to do the grocery shopping when he was not with me. I spend less! I get to have coffee first with a girlfriend. I get browsing time at the shopping centre. Grocery shopping is quicker. It works for me.

- - mom134803 said
  - 28 Sep 2016
    4:01 am
Sounds too time consuming for me. Also i don’t know if I like it when everything you buy is scanned and stored into an information database linked to your name.
- mom134803 replied
  
  01 Oct 2016 , 3:53 am
  But I do like to go out to the shop and pick my self what I want. I’ve done online shopping in case of emergencies (no car, sickness), but was never very pleased with the size or freshness of the fruits and vegetables.
- - meedee said
  - 27 Sep 2016
    8:49 pm
I actually belong to the Nielsen home scanner program and they are really cool. I enjoy the program and it is simply scanning my groceries and answering the odd survey. Then there are games we can play for extra points if we wish, etc.
I have amassed enough points for $500 worth of Flight Center gift cards which is where i choose to spend my points. Im keeping my points going and planning on using my points next year to pay for an Airfare to the US.

- - cherz said
  - 27 Sep 2016
    8:39 pm
Don’t mean to offend anyone but I found this story a little bit scammy..read through the positive list for shopping in-store only to get half way and find out it was a story about IRi …sneaky and really I did not appreciate the way it got me in.

- - mom69828 said
  - 27 Sep 2016
    9:16 am
I used to be an IRI Shopper Panel Member but it drove me nuts! It wasn’t just scanning the barcodes – have to also input each individual price which made the whole process take forever. Then nearly ever second time I’d go to submit it, it would fail, lose all my data including my login details which I couldn’t reset through the app – had to go onto my laptop. Such a waste of time with no rewards ever earned ????

- - mom112217 said
  - 26 Sep 2016
    12:56 pm
I like to pick out my own meat,fruit and veggies when l go shopping and not to have some-one else do it!

- - mom160421 said
  - 26 Sep 2016
    12:10 pm
I must admit I enjoy grocery shopping and choosing my own fruit/veg etc.
- mom93821 replied
  
  27 Sep 2016 , 6:43 am
  I enjoy grocery shopping too and we have lovely and friendly staff at our store.
- - mom93821 said
  - 26 Sep 2016
    9:19 am
I always get a coffee and we enjoy shopping. Everyone helps and gets a treat afterwards.