The grocery store experience continues to change due to a myriad of factors including continued investment in the customer experience, according to the Food Industry Association.
Despite inflationary pressures increasing costs and impacting shopping behaviors, retailers indicated to FMI that they are pursuing strategic differentiation strategies to compete on thinning margins in the following ways:
• Ecommerce; this includes the 79 percent of retailers offering store pick-up for online ordering, and the 55 percent who offer home delivery.
• Checkout modifications; examples are enhanced scan-and-go technology, dynamic pricing, and mobile checkout systems.
• Expanding selections and departments; fresh and perimeter departments are gaining shelf space as well as fresh-prepared, grab-and-go, and better-for-you items.
• Technology adoption; 73 percent of food retailers say they invest and/or experiment with tech to improve customer experience and enhance efficiencies.
Additionally, most retailers in the industry report difficulties in securing staff. To address these issues, many are improving wages, benefits, allowing workers to flex time, and more. Full Story
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