What the LSM groups think

To illustrate this, TGI have chosen attitudes to food and attitudes to shopping and to simplify the analysis they have grouped three sets of LSM groups i.e.2,3 and 4; 5,6 and 7; 8,9 and10.

LSM group 8,9,10 agree strongly that they 'try to include plenty of fiber in their diets', 'use diet products' and 'are trying to lose weight'. These are statements that reflect their economic status and, perhaps, over-indulgence when it comes to food.

At the extreme opposite of these indulgers are the poorer LSM 2,3,4 group. The attitudes that tend to define their concerns with food are: 'health foods are only bought by fanatics', 'all fast food is junk food' and their diets are largely 'vegetarian', probably as a result of affordability of meat.

In the middle are the LSM 5,6,7 cluster. Their attitudes tend to reflect 'healthy' eating in a number of ways. They are 'prepared to pay more for foods that do not contain artificial additives', 'careful about what they eat due to health problems' and they claim to be 'very careful' about their health.

The things that are important in choosing which shop to use is as defining and insightful as the attitudes they reflect regarding food. The 8,9,10 LSM group are convenience driven as is manifested by their need for 'parking', 'check out facilities', 'easy to prepare meals' and 'past experience' to guide them in the choice of retailer.

The lower LSM groups tend to rate 'price', 'affordability' and 'close to me' as the defining requirements of the shops they use.

'Community involvement' rates high for the emerging, LSM5,6,7 group.

These insights into how LSM groups think are extracts from the 400 plus battery of attitudinal statements that are included in TGI. These statements cover the entire range of both commercial and personal inclinations of the adult urban population of South Africa.