Tag: grocers

November 3, 2023

Retailers can no longer ignore consumers’ demand for improved sustainability initiatives. From consumer lawsuits to national news headlines calling out failed efforts and empty promises, retail leaders are feeling the pressure to reduce the $2 billion in waste they generate […]

September 22, 2023

In Chicago, Mayor Brandon Johnson is conducting a feasibility study to determine whether the city could open a municipally owned grocery store in an underserved neighborhood on the South or West side. At least six grocery stores, including four Walmart […]

April 17, 2023

Five years ago, the retail experiences we see in stores today would have been unrecognizable. With accelerated customer expectations forcing retailers to think creatively, customer engagement strategies are on the rise. With refreshed apps, streamlined loyalty programs and experimental presences […]

March 21, 2023

Pre-pandemic, poor forecasting was often tied to regional differences or shifting consumer preferences, and was often pinpointed as the cause of grocery’s high level of stockouts. Today, there are a whole slew of contributing factors. At the supply chain level, […]

March 7, 2023

Most retail trade media, including this site, have long praised technologies like artificial intelligence, micro fulfillment centers, personalization systems, data analytics and more. While these solutions are relatively easy for larger supermarket operators to afford and implement, they are out […]

March 2, 2023

While grocers have earned credit for upgrading the quality and branding of their private labels, a new study finds store brands receive little marketing support. Among the findings from a survey of 117 U.S. grocers taken in the fourth quarter […]

February 28, 2023

Food shopping options for downtowners can be downright dismal. I know — I’m a center city dweller. I feel fortunate to have a great Ralph’s in my neighborhood, but before the store opened, downtown San Diego was pretty much a […]

February 14, 2023

At a virtual meeting in December, Whole Foods implored suppliers to lower costs on packaged groceries as inflation moderates. According to The Wall Street Journal, Whole Foods SVP of merchandising Alyssa Vescio told vendors, “We know our customers are weighing […]

November 14, 2022

New university research explores how grocers can take advantage of in-store cameras employing advanced artificial intelligence (AI) technologies to read facial expressions — raising an eyebrow, opening eyes, smiling — to enhance store layouts. “Emotion recognition algorithms work by employing […]

September 28, 2022

The grocery retail tech sector has come on leaps and bounds in recent years, with the introduction of everything from autonomous checkouts to clever uses for AI and emission-free delivery trucks. In a fast-moving, highly competitive industry, as new problems […]

September 21, 2022

The growth in plant-based foods is not being driven by vegans or vegetarians, but consumers who want to eat less meat and dairy for health or planetary reasons. New to the segment, they’re in desperate need of education in several […]

July 27, 2022

In an opinion column for Advertising Age, Pamela Millman, associate director, Integrated Marketing at AARP Media, writes that the over-50 crowd buys 54 percent of all groceries in the U.S. and has become more health-conscious and cooks more frequently since […]

May 9, 2022

Thanks to record inflation, price sensitivity at the grocery channel is back. With a vengeance. And all indications suggest it’s only going to get worse. Grocers, however, have been reluctant to pass on recent manufacturer price increases because they know […]

April 29, 2022

As we continue riding out the pandemic, it’s important for grocery retailers to understand shopping behavior has been altered forever. E-marketer reports that online grocery sales grew 54% in 2020, exceeding initial pre-COVID projections. In 2021, online grocery shopping is […]

October 15, 2021

No one could have predicted the grocery e-commerce boom brought on by customer demand during the COVID-19 pandemic. Soon, grocery stores all over the country were offering online shopping to customers staying home to protect themselves and their loved ones. […]

August 26, 2021

Americans are dealing with an ongoing obesity crisis and surveys continually show the majority want to lose weight. Can grocers help now that they offer increased online access? Researchers at the University of Minnesota School of Public Health (SPH) recently […]

September 22, 2020

In October 2019, months before the coronavirus crisis hit, Amazon.com made a strategic decision to offer free grocery delivery to those in the U.S. with a Prime subscription. This step was another sign that Amazon was actively working to establish […]

August 25, 2020

New research by Acosta suggests 53 percent of shoppers plan to stock up on groceries if another pandemic shutdown occurs. “As COVID cases continue to rise, most shoppers believe we’re headed for another shutdown and plan to respond accordingly, so […]

April 22, 2020

Whether they’re buying groceries in-store or online, the personalized service and community feel of grocery stores is currently second to the survival mode that most consumers and associates are engaged in amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Even with the significant increase […]

February 5, 2020

Three regional grocers declared bankruptcy in the last week – Earth Fare, Lucky’s Market and Fairway. Here’s why this turmoil will likely spread to the big national chains. Earth Fare announced it will liquidate merchandise in all of its 50 […]