Convenience, experiences vital to food shoppers says IDDBA trend book

Madison, WI – Grocery shopping is about the entire experience – which includes convenience of the location, produce selection, prices and store layout, suggests the International DairyDeliBakery Association’s newest trends publication, What’s in Store 2018.

The shifting of shopping to a destination experience is one finding of the latest edition of the IDDBA’s annual trends publication.

According to a news release from the association, other findings include:

• Creating an experience strengthens customer loyalty.
• Retailers that reflect the communities they serve appeal more to today’s shoppers.
• “Localism” is a dominant theme to help communities feel connected.
• Top grocery trends for 2017, cited by John Karolefski, lean toward greater digital engagement, greater access to variety of produce and product information, and meal-kit options.
• Almost 45 per cent of millennials identify as ethnic or multicultural, making the generation the most diverse in U.S. history. Thus food purchasing decisions are no longer based on their lineage or familial customs.

“Multiculturalism is growing in the U.S. and it’s changing the way food retailers and manufacturers look at consumer buying behaviours,” said Eric Richard, education coordinator, IDDBA. “The result is a blurring of lines separating ethnic consumer demographics. Retailers in tune with consumer shopping patterns can provide innovative solutions on the changing palates of today’s shoppers.”

The report provides data on retail trends, market trends, growth and category changes shaping the food industry. It is a secondary resource developed through interviews with industry experts and third-party data and trends.

This year’s edition is organized by several themes aimed at providing insights and exploring marketplace influences: The Economy & Retail Trends, Channels and Competition, Consumer Lifestyles and Eating Trends.

It contains product chapters on bakery, cheese, dairy and deli. The new format, exclusive interview content, and inclusion of key insights, table interpretations, data callouts and testimonials are designed to help readers more efficiently tie back to the broader context and dig deeper into each product section.

IDDBA members receive a free copy of What’s in Store 2018 as part of their membership. Additional copies can be purchased for $99 US (member rate) or $399 (non-member rate).

In addition to its print publication, the association has launched What’s in Store Online, a collection of more than 150 downloadable graphs and tables, and links to white papers and trends articles.

For more information, visit www.iddba.org.