Determining Different Market Segments: Part 1.
March 11th, 2026, Joe Straccia
Shaws is one of the oldest continuously operating supermarkets in the United States, with locations primarily in New England. Self-service grocery is a key component in the Shaw’s and StartMarket business model. Shaws targets many different market segments. These can include segments such as demographics, lifestyle, and shopping behavior, as well as geographic, behavioral, and psychographic segments.
Demographics:
While Shaws aims to cater to different types of people, the common age demographic of shoppers tends to be young professionals (25-34), families with multiple children (30-50), or shoppers primarily from the New England area, and often are frequent and loyal customers to their local Shaws Market.
Many families who shop at Shaw’s Market are middle-income to upper-class households. Most Shaw’s locations target urban areas with dense populations, meaning many of these supermarkets are aimed at helping low-income shoppers find deals on their weekly grocery shopping. Shaws offers “Shaw’s for U,” which lets customers clip coupons and access weekly flyer deals on select products.
Psychographics:
People who shop at Shaw’s and other markets are families seeking convenience. This means that if a family is shopping at Shaws, they are likely looking to compile their weekly grocery shopping into a one-day experience, making daily trips to the grocery store less relevant. Shaw’s offers shoppers everything they need in one convenient space. These shoppers also value high-quality fresh foods.
Many people who shop at Shaw’s Markets are local residents. They regularly go to their local Shaw’s Markets rather than competitors because they trust it to provide fresh food and ingredients.
The Essentials of Marketing Segmentation:
Data Collection:
To successfully grow a business, one must collect data and use it to enhance the customer experience. For instance, a company must consider price-sensitive segments and assess whether demand for its product has increased or decreased.
Target Segments:
Learning a company’s target segment is essential when developing a new brand or idea. These target segments are the people who will be purchasing the most from the company. Learning how they buy, when they buy, and why they buy is essential for a company’s growth and for increasing revenue, when, and why they buy is essential for a company’s growth.
Adapt, Evolve, and Develop:
Adapting to different marketing tactics and techniques helps a business enhance its advertising and attract more customers. This can range from consumer preferences to competitive dynamics to technological advancements.
Developing a Positioning Strategy:
In today’s world, it can be challenging to put a company in a position of strength to help it grow. There is ample competition among different brands and companies, with each one trying to position itself at the top. It is vital for a company to discover its unique value and stand out from the crowd, putting it in a better position than its competitors.
New Market Segments in 2026
Many people have started creating new trends to help their businesses stand out. Recently, while scrolling through TikTok, I have become interested in grocery stores that use influencers to promote their businesses. Although this has been done for quite some time, many influencers have adopted a new strategy, including hacks to keep grocery shopping affordable, also known as cross-shopping. For instance, someone may choose to purchase all their proteins from Shaw’s Market for lower prices, Trader Joe’s for higher-quality vegetables, and Costco for pantry items in bulk. When I saw this advertising approach, I thought it was an ingenious way to promote each store’s strengths.
References:
Babin, Barry J. and Eric Harris. CB. 9th ed., Cengage Learning, 2021.
Mastering segmentation strategy: A comprehensive guide. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.simon-kucher.com/en/insights/mastering-segmentation-strategy-comprehensive-guide
Tow, H. (2026). What is market segmentation? importance, types, and process. Retrieved from https://learn.g2.com/market-segmentation
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