Shifting into 2016, supermarket retailers are continuously adapting to consumer demands , industry progress and regulations. Some supermarkets are expanding their square footage and others are going smaller by catering to a niche market. Whatever it may be, competition and high expectations are inevitable in this business. Chain Store Age provides five emerging trends that are critical for the retail business in 2016 and beyond.
The first trend is authenticating the fresh foods story. Supermarkets want to continue to prove that they are fresh by being more informed about the “farm to table” journey and engaging shoppers with fresh food showcases. The second trend is the convergence of concepts driven by convenience. This is propelled by consumer demand for convenience in which retailers are creating flexible infrastructures to adapt to changing store concepts.
The third trend is the impact of changing regulations. The Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) and refrigerant regulation changes which make retailers adopt new energy efficiency requirements. Retailers and equipment manufacturers will need to work closely together to fulfill all guidelines. The fourth trend is turning workforce concerns into opportunities. By creating friendly facility technology it allows better support for associates by simplifying tasks and enhancing monitoring capabilities. The last trend is that consolidation propels operational improvements. Retailers are reinvesting in new and/or consolidated infrastructures in order to increase profitability, and pass along lower pricing to customers.
Supermarkets are edging towards embracing technology in order to emerge as industry leaders the following year. As data about the products are monitored with new technology, it provides greater insight into operating efficiently and developing trustworthy relationships with partners and consumers.
Source: http://www.chainstoreage.com/article/five-emerging-trends-supermarket-retailers-leverage-01#
