The retail industry has transformed significantly throughout the years, owing largely to technological advancements. We witnessed huge growth in social commerce, influencer marketing, and even innovations in augmented reality buying experiences in 2020 and 2021. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the grocery business, as one of the primary stakeholders in the foodservice market, underwent a massive move to online retailing. Online grocery delivery platforms such as Instacart have become the new standard for millions of shoppers worldwide.
The development of on-demand grocery delivery applications is becoming increasingly important for grocery stores to survive in the market. According to Nielsen survey data, demand for online groceries increased by 74% in August 2021, prompting traditional grocery stores to adapt on the go. Big retail media outlets such as Walmart continues to grow their online shopper experience. There are particular trends that grocery retailers and supermarket chain operators should be aware of in 2022. We’ve compiled a list of the eight most important grocery retail trends to keep an eye on.
1. Enhanced Transparency With Blockchain
A blockchain is a decentralized digital ledger in which real-time data is recorded in ‘blocks.’ Crucially, the information in a blockchain cannot be changed — making it incredibly secure. This technology is being investigated by the grocery industry in order to track the transit of items from farm to table.
Trust is becoming increasingly important in building brand loyalty. As a result, you must provide complete transparency to customers about where their food comes from and how it appears on store shelves. Blockchain is assisting the grocery industry in creating reliable audit trails and collecting real-time data in order to eliminate inefficiencies.
2. Rise of Digital Transformation
Increasingly shifting consumer expectations, as well as tough rivalry among grocery stores, have resulted in the rapid implementation of digital transformation efforts. Many grocery retail industry businesses are developing a grocery delivery app that enables clients to track orders quickly and easily, offering digital payment technologies to enable quick, easy, and safe purchases.
Apart from the use of Big Data and Analytics AI in marketing or robotics and automation in packaging lines, other e-commerce trends are also reflect in the retail landscape. These include automated checkouts for speedier service, in-store price and layout optimization, demand forecast, and chatbots for customer help.
3. Future-Proof Supply Network
Micro fulfillment centers are being used by small retailers to consolidate operations. Retailers benefit from the combination of faster pickup service and increased efficiency. Large retailers are also planning to create micro fulfillment hubs within their stores. The supply chain of the future will be connect to this technology in order to respond to changing client demands. Retailers will be able to locate clients in metropolitan regions for delivering the order thanks to the footprint of high automated warehouses.
4. Omnichannel Acceleration
Retailers are focusing on both their physical footprint and their internet presence in order to build a multi-channel online grocery delivery app. Customers and third-party delivery personnel should have more floor space in the grocery store model. For instance, the BOPIS (buy online, pick up in-store) model has supermarkets allocating additional floor space for consumers and third-party delivery services such as Instacart to fulfill their orders. It’s the latest trend in the supermarket sector, with more growth and development in the global pandemic.
5. Internet of Things
To record, deliver, and receive data, the Internet of Things blends digital technology with physical products. In 2016, the worldwide Internet of Things market was estimated at $16 billion, with annual growth of over 22% predict over the next five years. The Internet of Things promises some intriguing advancements. Whether it’s employing intelligent in-store shelving to check inventories or using micro-location sensors to provide targeted customer promos.
To keep food fresh and monitor shop stocks, Mission Data invented TempTag. Refrigerator temps are monitor by humidity-proof sensors, which provide real-time information about the product to store management. By estimating the best time to discount specific products. TempTap assists merchants in keeping track of sell-by dates and reducing waste.
More brands will deploy smart technology throughout their stores in 2022 as the Internet of Things continues to provide new aspects to the shopping experience and improve customer relations.
6. Artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence collects data on customers from multiple sources, such as online channels, offline outlets, and user activity on the site. and applies this data to better understand the target audience’s demands. it may be used to maximize purchases and sales by taking into account previously. Unconsidered aspects like weather, holidays, and seasonality.
Customers will be able to receive their own personalized online grocery delivery app offers based on their. Preferences and behavior thanks to the usage of Al-based solutions.As many customers continue to depend on online shopping during the pandemic, retailers influences AR technology to bridge the gap between digital and traditional. Artificial intellinece provides immersive shopping experiences and in future it will be more benefecial.
7. Improving Consumer Data Utilisation
As the grocery retail industry moves more and more online grocery business transformation. Merchants are finding a rising need to use the data collected through their digital channels to better serve their customers. By having a thorough perspective of the shopper companies can improve their customer’s experience and brand image. They may even use the database to generate more revenue.
8. Smart Marketing
Many largest supermarket chains spend millions of dollars on marketing, primarily in the digital domain. Where their customers spend the majority of their time. To help streamline their automated grocery delivery business processes, the bulk of the top online grocery stores have teamed with a variety of tech, logistics, and delivery firms. However, for these collaborations to be effective, a significant amount of marketing resources. Must be given such as celebrity endorsements, target advertising, social media, or paid advertising.
Wrapped up
From the above-provided information, you may learn about the forthcoming trends in the grocery retail industry app. Retailers must follow these trends in order to stay afloat in the marketplace. To keep loyal customers to your business, you must collect reliable and accurate information about the trend.
