The world if food is constantly evolving with grocery stored adding new isles and ideas by the minute. Consumer involvement and satisfaction is becoming an important part of delivering a great experience. Grocery shopping is becoming easier and consumers are starting to trust products so unsurprisingly there are some trends that are set to continue.
Being Aware
Customers are becoming more vigilant about what they are buying and what went into making the product. Seven out of every ten consumers in the U.K. said they would like to know more about the product they are buying. When a want is this high, brands are forced to deliver so we are seeing an increase in product knowledge and more involvement from the side of the consumer. Buying groceries is not just picking up the first box of cereal anymore. People want to know what they are buying and that is changing how products are made.
Better and Closer Farms
Urbanization is bringing us closer to the farmers who produce for the big companies. Unsurprisingly, many people are going directly to these farmers. People are going on all-plant diets and getting better quality than ever before. New farmers who are young and even have degrees are entering the market, giving shoppers more options with more flexibility. Indoor farms are also catching on with Sweden set to open a sixteen storey farmhouse near where people live. This decreases pollution, traffic and environmental degradation. People are closer to where the food is being produced and the environment is prospering with fewer resources being used.
Tech Making Orders
With AI technology taking over many parts of our lives, it is inevitable that this technology would leave a mark on the food industry. With smartphones becoming smarter and Siri becoming more like a personal assistant, you are now able to order food while making dinner. This will lead to stores focusing more on ready-to-eat food and visually appealing products. The necessities will be taken care of without even looking at a list of brands. This makes shopping more convenient and guarantees shoppers that they won’t run out. This could even change the traditional set-up of supermarkets and get rid of the four wall tradition. More restaurants, more options and a dining experience could be part of the future. Food halls where consumers can only window shop food, try a bite and carry on are also increasing with many shops having a small section dedicated to this.
