Food Professor: The rise of the pyjama economy is changing the way we shop for groceries

7-11 is zero degrees in the downtown core, feels like minus four with some snow coming

down to start off this weekend.

The food professor, Sivash Aliboy, is joining us to discuss and by the way, lots of you

are reacting on the text line about this trend of going to the grocery store, doing your

groceries in pajamas.

Now the food professor has felt so strongly about this that he's penned a really interesting

article called The Rise of the Pajama Economy and what that means and he joins us now.

Good morning to you, professor.

Good morning, Joanne.

You've got a big, yeah, you've got a bit, you've got, well, I have to say one of the

test listeners just texted him that he doesn't sleep in pajamas, he's in the nude to which

I responded.

That would be a problem for at the grocery store, but yeah, I probably, you'll be arrested.

Joking aside though, talk about the trend, what have you noticed?

Well, actually, surveys, after surveys, people are split, I mean, about 45 percent of

people surveyed in Canada and you see the same trend in the US and in the UK and elsewhere.

People don't have a problem seeing people in their pajamas are all wearing a pajama

to go out in grocery shop, which is really interesting, but there is a generational divide.

The younger generations tend to be more okay with it than others, but I mean, as a food

expert looking at the industry, if you're serving folks in their pajamas, it's highly

unlikely they'll stick around in your store for an hour.

They're probably just walking in and out, grabbing what they need and so you have to sell products

very differently, the layout of the store and of course, a lot of people in the industry

are starting to notice that, well, if people are showing up in their pajamas, well, it

doesn't necessarily mean they'll be around for a long time shopping and so the dynamic,

the economic dynamics change, but from a, I'd say from a fashion perspective, a lot of

people really don't like seeing other people in their pajamas, especially in the winter

time in Canada.

But it's interesting because, yes, it is quite surprising if you're actually seeing someone

in a full PJ set at the grocery store, but you just said something so interesting, that

it means that something is happening in the way we're shopping, right?

So it used to be a destination, I'm going to tell you, I love putts and around in the grocery

store.

I go, I like taking my time, but you're saying things have changed.

You don't wear pajamas when you go grocery shopping?

I don't, I'm not, you know, I'm not in a prom dress, but yeah, I, you know, I, my, my

own mother actually wore gloves to go to her groceries store.

I mean, that's in the 50s and 60s, I mean, it's just a different time and today because

people work from home more often, you know, dressing up to work is not necessarily an issue

and that's affecting the psyche around when you go out of the house, right?

You don't feel obligated to dress up as much anymore, I guess.

So the grocery stores are doing what now, if this is an indicator, as you mentioned, that

people are not spending as much time, how, how, what do you do?

Like financially, are you trying to get everyone's attention right off the bat?

How do you sort of combat the, the fact that they're not going to be spending more time

there?

Well, it's, it's, it's a delicate issue, of course, because a lot of people think, well,

if you, if you're in the pajamas, if you don't dress up, it means you have less money.

Not necessarily.

No, no, no.

Not necessarily.

Actually, no correlation, it's really, I mean, you can actually dress up nicely with few

dollars now.

Yeah.

I mean, it doesn't cost too much to dress up, so it's not really a rich poor debate.

It's more about, you know, how you feel about yourself and allowing people to dress up

based on how they feel about themselves.

So it's a really personal decision and, and merchants, grocery store operators tend to

respect that as much as possible, but it is, it is changing how we behave and, and how

much time we spend the grocery store, which is really a key driver when it comes to sales

and things like that.

And let's talk about the self checkout stations, because you've written about this in the editorial.

And I'm thinking, is, does that also impact because we're not interacting with, with the

cashier, for example, do you think that comes into play somewhere?

That's a, that's a very good point, Joanne.

I mean, a lot of people go into the grocery store and they don't want to talk to anybody.

I mean, customer service is not an issue for them, because they just want to go in, grab

what they need, and get out, and don't talk to anyone.

I'm not that kind of person, but absolutely, a lot of people want to do that.

They don't want to socialize.

Again, there's a general, or shall divide.

The younger generation is tend to be that way.

Their best friend is their phone now, right?

It's just different.

And when you go into a grocery store all of a sudden, you have real people walking around

with real carts and real food.

Yeah.

That's the real world.

That's the real world.

That's the real world.

But finally, I just am curious in terms of spending, right?

Because if, maybe I'm wrong, but if you're spending less time, maybe you're really efficient

and you're just hitting all your targets.

But does that mean, if you're coming in with your pajamas, you're potentially spending

less, because you know that it's a quick stop?

Bingo.

That's the thing.

Because if you spend less time in a grocery store, you're more focused on purpose.

Why are you there?

You need to grab your card in the milk, your bread, then you're out.

Upselling or selling anything on promotion is a little more difficult when people really

are dressing up just to be in a store with fewer minutes.

In fewer minutes.

The average visit is about 22 minutes.

If you're wearing a pajama, if you're working comfortable clothing, and that's really

what you want to do, you're going to spend probably 12 to 15 minutes instead of 22 minutes

on average.

And so you're likely going to spend less for sure.

So if you want to save money is what you're saying is go out and do it in your pajamas.

In your PJs.

Well, I'm not willing to do that, but I'm sure that people are, you know, taking notes.

The food professor, Siobhan Shalibwa, if you haven't already, please follow along.

And listen to his podcast, which is called the food professor.

It's full of interesting information.

Siobhan Shalibwa, thank you so much for taking the time.

Happy Saturday, bye-bye.

All right, coming up in just a few moments, getting lots of text message, excuse me, about

Christine Long's story.

We ran it a little earlier about the sovereignty cafe.

Lots of questions.

Where is it?

What's going on?

So in just a few minutes to just to explain exactly what the sovereignty cafe is, it just

opened up.

It's a place for everyone to sit and, I guess, talk about the referendum, a referendum

shall explain in just a few moments you're listening to CJD, 800.

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