Dive Brief:
- A new survey by the NPD Group said that American consumers are following a more personalized approach to their health and wellness needs, with 10% supplementing dinner items made at home with prepared foods from restaurants or the grocery store, according to Supermarket News.
- Whole Foods Market is looking to cash in on a trend of consumers wearing more leisure wear and tracking their activity level with Fitbits, by selling such apparel beside a juice bar in its new El Paso, Texas store.
- The survey revealed consumers aren’t necessarily trying to avoid attributes like fat and cholesterol, but instead are on a quest for wholesome foods that contain fresh, organic and non-GMO ingredients. They are increasingly turning to brands whose values align with their own.
Dive Insight:
A recent report by the U.S. Department of Agriculture revealed that 50% of consumers’ food budgets were spent on convenience, so retailers should be looking for ways to gain a bigger share of the average household food budget. In fact, ready-to-cook and ready-to-eat meals and snacks made up 26% of the average household food budget in the 10-year period between 1999 and 2010. Consumers of late are looking for the same convenience, but in a more healthy way.
Grocery analysts say retailers should be embracing the health and wellness trends that the NBD study discusses, both through their private label brands and their prepared foods and deli products. This will not only increase sales, but will create a more loyal customer base.
A good way to encourage these types of purchases is by cross-merchandising fresh items such as hummus and vegetables with prepared food items, offering discounts for buying both together, providing in-store tastings and offering up recipe suggestions.