In the grocery industry, some things never change. Effective inventory management, friendly customer service, and fresh products have always been crucial ingredients for grocery store success.
But staying ahead of grocery industry trends is just as important as embracing these tried and true strategies.
That’s why we’ve put together this list of the top four grocery store trends you need to know for the new year. Let’s explore your customers’ changing needs plus tips for meeting them.
1. Customers Want the Best Bang for Their Buck
With 88% of consumers reporting frustration and concern with the rising price of groceries, appealing to budget-conscious shoppers should be a priority in the new year.
While factors like brand loyalty and taste have driven grocery shopping behaviors in the past, today’s customers are primarily concerned with getting the best value for their money.
How To Capitalize on This Grocery Store Trend
Adapting to this grocery store trend doesn’t have to mean joining a race to the bottom to offer the lowest prices. Instead, there are a few creative ways you can add value for your customers and protect your profits.
Let’s look at a few ways to help your customers save and encourage them to spend.
- Offer bulk discounts: Increase your average transaction value by offering a discount when customers buy staple grocery products in bulk. For example, you might run a buy three, get one free deal on canned goods.
- Run strategic promotions: Create a win-win scenario for you and your customers by discounting underperforming products or goods near their expiration date. For example, as the winter holiday season comes to a close, you might offer a steep discount on whole turkeys and hams.
- Start a private label. Private label products often have lower prices but higher profit margins than their brand-name counterparts, which benefits both you and your customers.
Offering high-quality yet affordable options for customers will help you become the go-to destination for a growing number of customers on a budget.
2. Grocers Are Leveraging AI
Artificial intelligence: This buzzword has been everywhere over the last few years — but what does it have to do with your grocery store?
AI-powered technologies are a rising grocery store trend, and many grocers are using these powerful tools to handle their stores’ day-to-day operations, learn about customers, and manage inventory.
How To Capitalize on This Grocery Store Trend
While AI and automation might sound intimidating, we have good news: You don’t have to be tech-savvy to use these tools.
The best place to start with this grocery store trend is to invest in a modern point of sale (POS) system. Here are a few ways the right grocery store POS software can transform your operations.
- Automated inventory management: Track your stock levels in real time, set inventory thresholds, and let your POS software manage the reordering and receiving processes.
- Shrinkage and waste reduction: Your POS system will detect discrepancies between your inventory records and sales reports, helping you monitor the impact of spoilage and shoplifting on your bottom line.
- Reporting and analytics: Get valuable insights into your inventory turnover rates, sales trends, customer shopping habits, and more to help you make data-driven decisions on how to run your store.
- Marketing and customer loyalty: Nurture your customer relationships and boost your sales by choosing POS software with built-in loyalty features.
You can also upgrade your POS system by investing in other integrated technologies, such as AI-powered sustainability tools and online grocery platforms.
3. Customers Are Shopping With Their Values
Today’s shoppers aren’t just buying products; they're buying what those products stand for.
Your grocery store’s customers are looking for products that align with their values and goals, such as health-conscious foods, eco-friendly packaging, and sustainably sourced ingredients.
Tailoring your store’s inventory to match these changing wants and needs can help you carve out a niche and cultivate a dedicated customer base.
How To Capitalize on This Grocery Store Trend
To help you take advantage of this grocery store trend, let’s look at a few types of shoppers you might cater to:
- Health-conscious shoppers interested in protein-packed snacks, organic meats and produce, and foods that fit into their gluten-free, paleo, or low-carb diet plans
- Planet-friendly shoppers who want minimally packaged products, ethically and sustainably sourced meats and produce, and eco-friendly options like refillable containers and reusable shopping bags
- Community-oriented customers who seek out opportunities to support nearby farmers and artisans by purchasing locally made products
Along with knowing what’s trending in general across the grocery industry, we recommend leaning on your sales reports to understand your customers’ unique values and preferences.
For example, if your customers purchase more plant-based milk than traditional dairy products, you can add more vegetarian and vegan options across all your grocery store departments.
4. Customers Are Short on Time
Nearly all of today’s grocery shoppers have one thing in common: their busy schedules.
That’s why many consumers seek out convenient ways to stock up on their favorite products without spending hours browsing your aisles.
This grocery store trend also means that many customers don’t have time to cook. Instead, they opt for premade, ready-to-eat meals that can be served in seconds.
How To Capitalize on This Grocery Store Trend
Want to take advantage of this trend and win over customers on a time crunch? Here are three of the best ways to make shopping at your grocery store more convenient.
- Embrace the grocerant trend: Along with traditional grocery offerings, consider offering ready-to-eat, made-to-order meals like sandwiches, salads, and wraps to appeal to hungry customers in a hurry.
- Invest in self-checkout: Keep lines short and customers relaxed by setting up a few self-checkout lanes to supplement your cashiers.
- Get into the online grocery game: Let customers browse your aisles and place an order from wherever they are, and enjoy convenient options like curbside delivery or pickup.
These strategies aren’t just good for your customers; they can also help you attract more shoppers and make more sales.
Keep Your Grocery Store Ahead of the Curve With IT Retail
Ready to embrace these grocery store trends? Then you need a powerful, flexible POS system that’s ready for anything.
IT Retail is an all-in-one POS solution specifically designed for grocery stores like yours.
Our software makes it easy to learn about your customers’ shopping habits, launch and manage promotions, adjust and track your inventory, and stay on-trend with technologies like self-checkout, e-commerce integration, and more.
Discover how IT Retail can future-proof your grocery store by scheduling your personalized demo today.
