Retail Industry Insights

Recent trends have revealed what dietitians in food retail have known all along – health and wellness are defined by the consumer and will continue to be a key purchase driver as consumers lead the charge of food and health trends.

Millennial Parents food-shop with high anxiety. Their time constraints, financial stresses, healthful eating desires, and large physical distance from supportive relatives create openings for retail dietitians to connect and bond these big food spenders to specific supermarkets.

Have you ever come across a product that you love but your store doesn’t carry? As a retail dietitian, you can help to improve the selection of healthy options for your customers. Use the tips below to prepare to present a new item to your buying team. Use Manitoba Milling’s New Flax Milk as an example.

Today, consumers are seeking options that are good for themselves and good for the earth.  This is especially true among younger generations. ​

The National Retail Federation’s Big Show filled New York City’s Javits Center with drones, robots, self-checkout, touch screens, mirrors that let you try on clothes (without trying on clothes) and countless technologies all designed to move the retail environment to the future. In mid-January, nearly 40,000 people gathered to search for the silver bullets that could fix declining sales, lost customer traffic and equip them for the battle against online shopping. I found few silver bullets.

This year will mark my (gulp) 25th year in the food industry. There have been so many changes in what and how we eat and shop, but perhaps the greatest change is in food communications. Not just the channels, although we have watched weekly circulars become targeted Instagram offers, but most importantly our target consumer. When I started, it was all about a 25-54-year- old middle income mom. And now, we target. EVERYONE. Four generations actively shop in your stores. Those with food intolerances, on a cleanse and following ketogenic diets are fans of your concept. How can you target everyone? Our latest research says shift to targeting “Gen Food.”

Despite health benefits associated with adequate nutrition, many Americans consume a diet of poor nutrient quality, which is often reflected in their purchase patterns.

The grocery industry is stepping up its investment in shopper-facing robot technology ambitiously, and evidently with much confidence, as it strives to offset the costs of online delivery and pressure from non-supermarket competition.

There are many reasons I have come to love this country, but especially for the business opportunity and ability for me to make a significant impact as a registered dietitian with experience from the west.

A small study by Field Agent (451 digital shoppers who spent at least $30 online for delivery or pick-up) examines the process in detail and shares a variety of interesting insights, including those detailed here.