---
title: Gen Z Wants Product Samples and Don't Care Where They Get Them
description: New data shows that Gen Z not only loves product samples, but seeks them out and uses them to make decisions.
---

[Default HubSpot Blog](https://blog.inspiramarketing.com/blog)

# [Gen Z Wants Product Samples and Don't Care Where They Get Them](https://blog.inspiramarketing.com/blog/gen-z-wants-product-samples-and-dont-care-where-they-get-them)

 Written by [Bobby Johnson](https://blog.inspiramarketing.com/blog/author/bobby-johnson) | Aug 17, 2022 8:18:34 PM

Everyone knows the [importance of product sampling](https://inspiramarketing.com/infographic-consumer-sampling-how-trying-leads-to-buying/), that’s hardly news. However, a glut of new reports and studies have revealed that Gen Z not only loves sampling, but it plays a large part in why they shop where they shop. Product sampling also has a huge effect on what they buy. 

Using the latest data, we’re going to walk you through why product samples are such a smart move for [capturing Gen Z’s attention](https://inspiramarketing.com/infographic-checking-in-with-gen-z/) in the marketplace.

## Gen Z Spends Their Money on Food and Drinks

Gen Zers aren’t a wealthy generation–yet–but what they do have they spend on food and entertainment. If your brand is creating or marketing food, beverages, or entertainment products, Gen Z is your target. 

According to Mintel’s [“Market Factors and Current Opportunities”](https://reports.mintel.com/display/1141143) report, only 32% of Gen Z have a full-time job. That doesn’t leave much room for spending on bills, which are likely being taken care of by parents. 

This means most Gen Z buyers are spending their cash on personal products like food, clothes, entertainment, and beauty. For CPG, restaurant, and beverage brands, Gen Z are a major market. However, because of their tighter budgets, Gen Z can’t just buy everything that looks interesting. They have to be more selective.

Mintel’s “Marketing to Generation Z” report in 2021 found that of all cohorts surveyed, Gen Z was most concerned with price when shopping. In fact, they said choosing the lowest price is their most common strategy. 

**So, you’ve got a generation that spends primarily on food, drinks, and entertainment, but they want to spend smartly. They have to be picky**.

Where this data becomes incredibly useful to CPG marketers is where this necessarily-frugal mindset and tendency toward food/drink spending dovetails with Gen Z’s higher willingness to return to physical stores.

## Gen Z is Going Back In-Store to Try Products Out

Gen Z is going back to physical restaurants and stores, which is the perfect opportunity to give them in-person samples. 

Dataessential’s [“Mid-Year Trend Report”](https://offers.datassential.com/foodbytes-2021-midyear-trends) shows that when polling across all generations, Gen Z was the most willing to go back to restaurants. A recent Kearney study also found that Gen Z–despite their digital reputation–prefers shopping in stores. 

A Kearney study found that [81% of Gen Zers polled](https://www.de.kearney.com/consumer-goods/article?/a/how-gen-z-s-concern-with-emotional-health-fuels-retail-growth-and-failure) prefer in-store shopping. Most said they like finding new products in-store (73%), while 65% said they go in-store specifically to try products out. **This same study showed that 86% of the Gen Z shoppers they spoke to were specifically looking for promotions, exclusives, giveaways, contests, and samples when they shop in-store. **

Funny enough, Gen Z is also the most likely to order their food through a delivery service. Dataessential’s report found that 26% of Gen Zers plan to use delivery services more often than they already are. Basically, Gen Z wants to buy more food than every other generation and they don’t care if it’s in-person or delivered to their door. 

## Gen Z Want Product Samples In-Store and at Home

Gen Z not only loves product samples, but they’re also a huge part of their decision-making process. 

Advantage Solutions recently released an illuminating survey called [“Gen Z Wants Product Samples - With a Few Changes, Please.”](https://advantagesolutions.net/news/gen-z-wants-product-samples-%E2%80%95-with-a-few-changes-please/) A full 70% of those surveyed claimed that food samples greatly influence their purchases. 

**There’s a bit of a gender difference in Gen Z’s opinion of sampling, though.** Overall, the data showed that a food or beverage sample was more likely to influence men than women. However, food still ranked highest for women (at 51% to men’s 60%), with their second place sample-of-choice going to beauty samples. 

The Advantage Solutions study also found that Gen Z isn’t picky about where they receive samples and are happy to try them pretty much anywhere. Almost 75% will try samples at big box stores like Walmart, over 60% will try grocery store samples, and over 50% would love sampling at [experiential marketing events](https://inspiramarketing.com/why-your-brand-should-invest-in-experiential-marketing/), concerts, or festivals. Many even said they’d try free samples at a doctor’s office or at a gym. 

Delivery samples aren’t out of the question for Gen Z, either. The survey found that around 60% would try a product sample that had been bagged along with their grocery delivery. Over 50% said they’d love a product sample in unrelated deliveries like a subscription box or even a clothing order.

**Gen Z clearly doesn’t put a lot of boundaries around their love of samples, so don’t limit your brand’s sampling efforts out of a sense of propriety. **

Gen Z wants to try your products and they’ll give them a shot in almost any medium. Mix and match your efforts, partner with other brands. 

Bring in Gen Z with a live music event by hosting a pop-up. Pair with an online retailer to include samples in their shipments. Maybe even work with DoorDash and Uber Eats to include a sample along with food delivery. 

## Targeting Gen Z Where They Are

With Gen Z open to such a wide array of venues for product sampling, it can be a little overwhelming for marketers to decide where to start. Product sampling in-store is always a great decision, but expanding to live events can require a bit more planning. 

Inspira Marketing creates live marketing events for some of the largest CPG brands in the world, and can [help you set up](https://inspiramarketing.com/connect/) any kind of sampling event for your product.

[View full post](https://blog.inspiramarketing.com/blog/gen-z-wants-product-samples-and-dont-care-where-they-get-them)

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