What do you use to write your grocery list? Pen and paper? An app? If so, you're behind the times.

The shopping cart grocery list

"We're noticing a growing trend of using online shopping carts in place of grocery lists," comments Mark Rogers, VP of Growth at Northfork. "Consumers add to their cart in between shops, then when they are ready to order, much of the work is already done."

The trend highlights the importance of convenience in online grocery shopping. It was flagged up some years ago, even before the pandemic-driven explosion in online food shopping. But creating a shopping list is about more than just remembering everything; it can also deliver health benefits.

Can a shopping list help you lose weight?

A study by RAND Health found that customers who use grocery lists are more likely to follow a healthy diet and make better food choices. They also had lower body weights than list-less shoppers.

Healthy eating is essential for physical and mental health. For shoppable recipe solutions providers such as Northfork, this means that nutrition data is key when delivering new features.

"More people are shopping online and cooking at home due to the pandemic," continues Rogers. "Those who use digital menu plans and recipe shopping need to do so in a way that's convenient and health-conscious. Using your cart as a grocery list has a role to play here."

Low-effort engagement

Retailers who want to best serve their customers when it comes to these 'save for later' shopping carts need to ensure that they are both discoverable and low-effort, according to Nielsen Norman Group. SmartCommerce, meanwhile, asserts that 90% of consumers across retail categories store goods they intend to buy later in their online shopping carts. Shopping carts as grocery lists are, without question, the way forward.