Why the most valuable CPG shoppers are turning to Reddit

New research shows redditors spend more, shop more, and drive stronger advertiser returns within CPG

CPG brands aren’t just finding customers on Reddit, they’re finding ones with valuable shelf life, according to new transaction insights from Attain and research from Circana.

The consumer journey looks fundamentally different than it did just a few years ago. Whether online, in the aisle, or through a chatbot, today's shoppers can discover new brands and products in a multitude of ways. But what helps turn a discovery into a purchase?

Enter the power of people and their honest opinions. In a world of decision fatigue, Reddit has over 100K+ communities of real people anonymously asking for advice, answering questions and posting trusted reviews.

It’s where ideas get vetted and turn into validated purchase decisions. In fact, 84% of shoppers on Reddit say they feel more confident in their decisions after researching on Reddit.¹

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Today’s CPG shoppers turn to Reddit before they purchase

As shoppers navigate high prices, health trends and debate brand loyalty vs. budget concerns, they're increasingly turning to Reddit to help them fill their basket.

Over the last six months, the US alone saw over 3.1B grocery shopping conversations.² From “which oat milk actually tastes best” to “what’s the right food for a new puppy”, shoppers are using Reddit to crowdsource real opinions at every stage of the journey.

And once trust is earned, it sticks. Store-specific communities like r/aldi have seen 21% YoY organic growth³, reflecting how Reddit fosters not just discovery, but ongoing loyalty.  

Notably, this behavior is accelerating earlier in the funnel: awareness-stage engagement is growing 5.9x faster than consideration, growing 100% YoY⁶, signaling a sharp increase in how often shoppers turn to Reddit to shape decisions before they ever reach the shelf.

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Reddit doesn’t just have chatter, it has more valuable checkouts

Not all audiences are created equal. New data from Attain shows that Reddit delivers stronger lifetime value across every major CPG category over a five year horizon.⁴

Reddit shoppers consistently generated higher post-acquisition value across every category, including 15% in beverage, 14% in food and 17% in personal care and beauty.⁴ This is driven by a higher concentration of high-spending shoppers. Redditors also outspend the average consumer across the board, spending 22% more on their pets, 17% more on their food and 12% more on their beauty products.⁴ They were shown to have bigger baskets in every major category.

_{Footnote: Lifetime (LTV) value reflects the total projected value a buyer is expected to generate over a 5-year span of time from the point of their first purchase in the category.}

Lastly, Attain’s data showed that redditors shop from more stores than the average consumer, regularly buying across five or more retailers in every major CPG category.⁴ When you reach shoppers on Reddit, you’re reaching multi-category buyers with more spending power and higher lifetime value.

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Advertising on Reddit means better returns

A new study with Circana confirms that Reddit delivers meaningfully higher returns for CPG advertisers, outperforming other social platforms across the US and Western Europe.

On average, Reddit generates 1.5x higher ROAS for CPG advertisers vs. other social platforms.⁵ This outsized lift extends beyond just other social, with Reddit outperforming the total media average across markets:

• In the US, CPG advertisers saw 1.3x higher ROAS vs. total media on average.⁵
• In Western Europe, Reddit delivered 1.6x higher ROAS vs. total media on average.⁵

And stronger returns aren’t just driven by incremental investment. They can also be unlocked with smarter reallocation, driving up to 5% sales lift in the US and 13% sales lift in Western Europe through budget shifts to Reddit alone.⁵

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Why CPG brands can win on Reddit

There’s strong evidence that Reddit plays a distinct role in how shoppers purchase CPG products today, from early discovery to post-purchase loyalty. That’s exactly why global brands like Mars are leaning into the platform, where Aaron Welch, Senior Manager of Data-Driven Marketing at Mars, shared:

"Reddit is a unique platform where communities come together to discuss a variety of topics online. It’s a place for our brands to embrace their uniqueness while continuously testing, learning, and optimizing to drive results—which has paid off, seeing year-over-year improvements toward our business goals."

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The opportunity for CPG advertisers

For brands looking to influence the modern day shopping behavior, three themes stand out:

• Unlock outsized returns: Reallocating budget to Reddit yields proven, market-leading efficiency, delivering an average of 1.5x higher ROAS for CPG brands⁵ compared to other social platforms.
• Reach higher-value shoppers: Reddit shoppers possess strong lifetime value and bigger baskets - outspending the average consumer and consistently driving higher post-acquisition value across every major CPG category.
• Own pre-shelf influence: Show up early in the decision journey, where awareness-stage engagement on Reddit is growing 5.9x faster than consideration,⁶ to win over high-intent consumers who come to Reddit to research, validate and determine their next purchase.

For CPG brands, Reddit is the gem hidden on the shelf.

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