Leavers buy more tea, while Remains buy more Champagne

People who say they’re going to vote to leave in the upcoming EU referendum are more likely to buy alcohol (6% more likely than remains), more likely to buy healthcare products (9% more likely), more pet care products (34% more likely than remains), more frozen meat (54% more likely than remains) and more frozen poultry (37% more likely than remains). Whereas those who want to remain in the EU, buy more fresh fish and vegetables, and more chilled drinks.

During May 2016, Kantar polled 6,000 main shoppers (aged 16+) from our 30,000 UK homes panel to find out voting intentions in the EU referendum. This allowed us to analyse their 780,000 real shopping trips in store across the past year (May 2015-May 2016).

We can also see which supermarkets our different voters prefer. Waitrose is significantly more popular with remain voters, than those who want to leave. Those saying they want to remain in the EU you are spending 73% more in Waitrose than those wanting to leave.

We can explore particular categories, such as alcohol, to see leave voters buy more alcohol overall, and are more likely to buy spirits and beer. Whereas, remain voters are more likely to buy Champagne, prosecco and wine (27% more likely than remains).

• Leavers buy 20% more tea than remains
• Remains buy 30% more instant coffee than leavers
• Remains buy 33% more frankfurters and continental sausages than leavers
• Leavers buy 14% more beef, 25% pork and 22% lamb than remains
• Leavers buy 9% more margarine and 6% milk than remains
• Remains buy 18% more cream than leavers
• Remains buy 83% more fresh pasta and 30% fresh pizzas than leavers
• Leavers buy 17% more pastries than remains

We’re not suggesting that what you buy and where you buy it from determines how you’re going to vote in the EU referendum, but the relationship between who you are, where you shop, and what you’re likely to buy, is clear.

Affluence and age are proving to be the critical fault lines in the country influencing how people intend to vote, and these same parameters are also a good, but not infallible indication of where people will choose to shop, and the groceries they will spend their money on.