Last updated on December 5th, 2016 at 09:15 am
Today’s retailers are focusing less on overall growth and more on shopper behavior, including developing smaller, more productive stores; digital retailing and online shopping; and more tailored assortment strategies by region and season. This is one of the findings in “What’s in Store 2017,” the latest edition of the annual trends publication from the International Dairy–Deli–Bakery Association (IDDBA), and “What’s in Store Online,” a collection of more than 150 downloadable graphs and tables, as well as links to white papers and trends articles.
Other findings in the book’s “Economy & Retail Trends” chapter include:
• Top hurdles facing retailers include vulnerability of regional supply chains to natural and external disasters, continued growth of e-commerce, and continued consolidation.
• Transparency, social responsibility and traceability continue to be important issues and considerations among retailers and manufacturers.
• Private label in the U.S. continues to grow and is a sector that grocers continue to explore, as consumers no longer view these as no-name, lowest price and lesser option products.
“Shopper behavior is playing a direct role in the future of the retail food industry,” said Eric Richard, education coordinator for IDDBA. “From store design and online shopping options to increased sustainability and transparency in the products, retailers are creating an engaging atmosphere—both brick-and-mortar and online—and expanding their product lines to attract and retain today’s sophisticated shoppers.”
With more than 30 years of reporting, “What’s in Store” is a resource for dairy, deli, bakery, foodservice and cheese departments and industries, providing data on retail and market trends, growth and category changes shaping the food industry, according to IDDBA. “What’s in Store” is a secondary resource that is developed through both interviews with industry experts and sourcing third-party data and trends.
IDDBA says this year’s edition again features a continuous storyline to improve user efficiency and provide greater clarity for professionals needing to understand today’s retail world. Readers gain new insights and learn about marketplace influences through five themes: The Economy & Retail Trends; Channels and Competition; Consumer Lifestyles; Eating Trends; and Technology and Marketing.
This themed narrative is then carried into each of the product chapters: Bakery, Cheese, Dairy and Deli. The new format, exclusive interview content and inclusion of key insights, table interpretations, data callouts and testimonials enable the reader to more efficiently tie back to the broader context and then dig deeper in each of the product sections, according to IDDBA.
Additionally, “What’s in Store 2017” features redesigned tables, infographics that explain why the data matters, key insights, expert interviews and more graphics to illustrate best-in-class examples.
IDDBA members receive a free copy of “What’s in Store” as part of their membership. Additional copies may be purchased; the price per copy is $99 for members and $399 for nonmembers.
