Product presentation, sustainability and brand trust determine the supermarket of the future
How will the new reality affect the supermarket of the future? Customer needs have changed in recent months, accompanied by a long-term shift in social values. Based on the "Supermarkets 2025" study, for which 13,367 consumers worldwide were surveyed from August to September 2020, the digital marketing company Bazaarvoice has formulated three hypotheses.
The difference between city and country supermarkets will widen
In an urban context, there is less space available for supermarkets than in a retail park or in less densely populated areas. Another difference is the shopping behavior of customers, who often go shopping several times a week in cities and the average receipt is correspondingly smaller. This also needs to be taken into account when developing innovations.
In the "Supermarkets 2025" study, a third of respondents wanted handheld scanners for contactless payment, which would certainly be an advantage for faster shopping in cities. Drive-through collection of products, on the other hand, is more suitable for more rural areas where supermarkets are not within walking distance.
Less presentation space, fewer products
Many supermarkets are losing display space and therefore shelf meters, as the space is needed for fulfillment or pick-up stations. This poses a problem for branded products in particular and increases the pressure to stand out more and not be rejected. It is important to listen to consumers in product development in order to make products more attractive. In addition, more intensive cooperation with retailers is required in order to better take into account their needs and wishes, such as special labeling or packaging.
Trust and sustainability are the key factors of the future
Looking into the distant future, one factor stands out: trust. 70 percent of respondents from the UK, France and Germany say that in three years' time, they will only store in stores that they trust when it comes to sustainability and social responsibility. Both manufacturers and retailers can therefore score points with comprehensive customer information, transparency and the implementation of customer feedback. In addition, customers increasingly want loose goods for self-packaging and incentives to use their own packaging and containers. The consumers surveyed worldwide are not always consistent in their demands: 57% want personalized offers, but at the same time 63% are reluctant to disclose personal data.
"The online boom is challenging brands to be innovative and to position themselves more strongly and clearly," comments Tobias Stelzer, Head of Sales Central Europe at Bazaarvoice. "Supermarkets must fully exploit their trump cards and play to their advantages over online retailers. The haptic aspect and the better presentation of goods are a clear advantage. Brands need to enter into a dialog with consumers to build long-term loyalty. This dialog primarily consists of obtaining, understanding and implementing reviews, feedback and wishes. However, retailers and brands must also coordinate differently in this changed reality in order to jointly emphasize the advantages over online retail."
