Your grocery store clients have transformed themselves. These retailers are more than places to pick up food items. More consumers are now counting on these outlets to offer prepared meals. While consumers still rely on circulars, they’re also using technology to stay connected with their favorite stores.

Market Force Information is out with a new report on grocery stores and shoppers. In this year’s study, Market Force surveyed over 12,800 consumers. Major report findings show your clients can maintain their customer base by offering what today’s shoppers are seeking:

• Convenient locations 62%
• Good sales and promotions (60%)
• Value for money paid (55%)

Meal Prep and Delivery

Fads come and go in the meals preparation sector. A decade ago, consumers enjoyed going to food preparation centers and making meals for the week in a social environment. This year, supermarkets are touting meal kit delivery services. At least 15% of consumers have given this service a try. For about half of consumers, variety is the key interest. Unfortunately, about half of shoppers (49%) also found these services to be unsatisfying. Cost and value appear to be the chief concerns.

More local supermarkets are now offering home delivery of orders, including fully prepared meals for those who don't want to bother with kits. These delivery services are designed to compete with online retailers. So far, 22% of consumers have given home delivery a try. In general, at least 20% of consumers have complained that home delivery services need improvement.

Marketing

Your clients have an opportunity to prove they have superior meal kit and home delivery services. How should they promote their excellence? First, they should continue to use circulars. At least 84% of shoppers refer to circulars weekly. Shoppers are looking for coupons, and they are price comparing through circulars. Shoppers are also warming up to apps. Over 40% of shoppers now use grocery store apps on occasion. The most popular uses of apps include obtaining coupons (82%), using bar code scanners (40%), and comparing item prices and availability.

Your grocery clients can stand out from the competition by offering superior service in meal prep and home delivery and by consistently advertising.

To learn more about consumers who use home delivery and who ordered prepared meals from supermarkets, check out the AudienceSCAN profiles available on AdMall from SalesFuel.