Moreover, influence in the household also varies with age. Around  half (54 percent) of Hispanic men aged 45-64 have the most influence on their household purchasing decisions, as do half (50 percent) of Hispanic men aged 35-44, versus 44 percent of those aged 25-34.

 

Leylha Ahuile, senior multicultural analyst at Mintel, says:

 

“Everywhere we look marketers are directing their focus on Latinas, but brands are forgetting to talk to Hispanic men. Ignoring Hispanic men is an unwise mistake as this growing group, like most men in the U.S., has taken on a greater role with household chores, caring for children and shopping for the household. Marketing efforts that discuss how Hispanic men, and Hispanic dads in particular, can obtain top value in their household purchases could set a grocery retailer apart from its competitors, leading to greater loyalty among Hispanic men who are buying food for the household. By failing to reach out to Hispanic men, brands and retailers will miss out on the chance to establish themselves as the first choice among a segment of shoppers poised to gain great influence in the coming years.”

 

When it comes to where to shop, three in four (75 percent) Hispanic men shop for food items at a traditional grocery store, making it the leading destination among Hispanic men for food shopping for their household. However, Hispanic fathers are more likely to purchase groceries at mass merchandisers, with 71 percent of them doing so, compared to 63 percent of Hispanic men without children.

 

Despite their active role in the household, when it comes to their portrayal in the media, two-thirds (66 percent) of Hispanic men believe they are stereotyped by advertisers – meanwhile half (50 percent) of Hispanic men think that Hispanic women are positively reflected in the media.

 

“Hispanic men feel like they are misrepresented in the media. This means that marketers may be missing the mark with their advertising initiatives in both Spanish- and English-language media. By having greater sensitivity to Hispanic culture, stereotypes could be omitted from ads and a higher level of engagement could be reached,” Leylha Ahuile explains.

 

As for key purchasing factors, Latinos like to play it safe. Some 44 percent of Hispanic men bought a new product after first sampling it in a store, while 42 percent made a purchase after a friend or family recommended the product. Moreover, around a third (32 percent) of Hispanic men are more likely to be influenced by ads on Spanish-language TV than ads on English-language TV.

 

What’s more, in certain categories, Hispanic men are more brand loyal than Latinas and are often willing to pay a bit more for their preferred brand. Some 35 percent of Hispanic men think more expensive brands of laundry detergents are more effective than bargain brands – versus 31 percent of Hispanic women – and some 58 percent of them only shop at their favorite stores, as they are confident they will find the brands of merchandise they like there.

 

However, among other ethnic groups, Hispanic men are the least likely to take over grocery duties. Indeed, 69 percent of Hispanic men purchased food products in the last twelve months, compared to 83 percent of their White counterparts, 81 percent of Asian, and 71 percent of their Black counterparts.

 

The likelihood of Hispanic men buying certain products is also somewhat dependent on household income. Mintel’s research shows that 78 percent of Hispanic men in homes with higher income ($100K+) have purchased clothing or food products in the last year, compared to 67 percent of those on a lower income (less than $25K).