Product availability has become one of the most powerful drivers of customer loyalty in UK grocery retail, according to the latest report from DHL Supply Chain and Retail Economics.

DHL Supply Chain’s Availability Effect report, which includes insight from 2,000 UK households, found that convenience and reliability now outweigh price for a third of shoppers, demonstrating a shift in how customer loyalty is now won and retained.

Its study showed that one in five UK grocery trips involves at least one missing item – equivalent to ~930million shopping visits every year, and equating to an estimated £2.1billion in displaced sales.

Over two fifths (44%) of consumers have switched or added another supermarket to their regular grocery shop in the past year due to stock availability issues, with 59% saying product availability is their prime motivator for shopping across multiple stores.

“Even small stock gaps can have a significant impact on how shoppers feel about a retailer,” said Nick Archer, MD of Convenience and Consumer at DHL Supply Chain.

“Despite the pressure on shoppers’ wallets, loyalty is being driven by more than price. In a market where customers can switch stores with ease, availability is much more than an operational metric. Retailers need to be able to predict disruption, integrate data and execute efficiently.”

Meanwhile, convenience stores, which account for around one fifth of grocery sales, represent almost half of all displaced spend due to stockouts, with 63% of shoppers believing availability is worse in convenience stores.

“In today’s environment of busy lifestyles, hybrid working and smaller, more frequent shopping trips, customers expect to find what they need quickly and easily,” Richard Lim, Chief Executive at Retail Economics, commented. “Convenience comes down to having products there when the customer needs them, and availability has become the clearest sign of reliability.”