Moving from full-service to self-service in meat and deli departments, increasing value-added offerings in produce and deli, these are just a few examples of grocery retail’s evolution. Jonna Parker, team lead, Circana’s Fresh Foods Group, and Anne-Marie Roerink, president of 210 Analytics, advocate for learning about the most important shopper groups and meeting their changing needs.

Highlights:

• Baby boomers, long the biggest spenders, are on the cusp of being overtaken by Gen X and millennials. While it’s still important to please boomers, long-term success depends on answering the call of younger shoppers.
• Younger consumers start their shopping journey online. The key to winning store traffic is securing the shopper before they enter the store.
• While older consumers value service, younger shoppers look for relevance and experience; think solutions, not stalls.
• Low-price and fresh offerings are no longer a reason to shop a store. Point of difference and only-available-here offerings will drive traffic.