CHICAGO — Male grocery shoppers prefer convenient, easy-to-prepare food and beverage products, according to “The new grocery shopper,” a report from The NPD Group. Forty-one per cent of males surveyed said they do all or almost all of the grocery shopping in their household, which represents more than 40 million households. Of the 40 million households, 16% have only one person.

In homes where the male is the primary grocery shopper, convenience plays a greater role than those homes in which women are the primary shopper, according to the report. Prepared foods are purchased more often by male primary grocery shoppers, affording them the opportunity to acquire foods that require little to no effort. Male grocery shoppers are also less interested in the consumption of better-for-you foods or avoidance of certain foods than are women grocery shoppers.

“Food makers, who are reaching male grocery shoppers with packaging and marketing, need to keep in mind that it’s not just younger males shopping, it’s also men over 55 who have different needs and motivations,” said Darren Seifer, NPD food and beverage industry analyst. “A deeper understanding of each male shopper age group is necessary for companies that want their messages and products to appeal to men.”

Gender also comes into play in the use of grocery lists, according to NPD. Around 8 out of 10 people use a grocery list when shopping at least some of the time, but the degree to which males and females use a list varies. Females rely more heavily on their lists than males and use paper lists more. Both genders use electronic lists on a phone or tablet equally, particularly those shoppers 18-34 year-olds.