The average monthly spending at sari-sari stores further declined in 2024, as Filipinos’ buying behavior trends towards micro-retail quantities—otherwise known as “tingi”—through smaller and more frequent purchases to stretch their limited budget.

A report by tech startup Packworks showed that the average monthly spending at sari-sari stores fell to ₱689 last year, a 12-percent dip from the average of ₱781 in 2023.

Packworks analyzes spending based on its data analytics tool Sari IQ, which gauges over one million monthly sales transactions from its network of more than 300,000 sari-sari stores across the Philippines.

When the company first started observing data in 2022, the average monthly spending of Filipinos stood at ₱800.

While spending is on the decline, Packworks data showed that consumers are visiting sari-sari stores more frequently.

Last year, its network of stores recorded an average of 18 monthly transactions, a 16-percent jump from around 15 transactions per month in 2023.

The most commonly purchased items at sari-sari stores were seasoning and recipe mix items, detergent, powdered drinks, and hygiene products such as shampoo and conditioner.

Packworks Chief Data Officer Andoy Montiel said opting for smaller and more frequent purchases represents a more significant shift to “tingi” buying.

“The combination of Filipinos’ smaller basket sizes and more frequent visits to sari-sari stores points to a preference for buying in smaller, more affordable portions—the essence of the ‘tingi’ economy,” said Montiel.

“This behavior likely stems from consumers needing to stretch their budget further, even in a lower inflation environment. They might be opting to buy only what they immediately need, rather than larger quantities less frequently to stock up,” he added.

In 2024, the Philippines had an average inflation rate of 3.2 percent, the lowest in four years.

Packwords data revealed that Ilocos Region posted the largest decline in the average monthly spending at ₱570, despite the region recording the lowest annual average inflation rate last year at 2.1 percent.

In contrast, Calabarzon and Mimaropa spent the most on sari-sari stores, with average monthly spending at ₱1,027 and ₱1,237, respectively.