5 drivers to the grocery sector in 2020

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Image by ElasticComputeFarm from Pixabay

The UK retail market will continue to undergo a monumental change in 2020.  To survive this shift and thrive in a new climate of change, the UK grocery sector is driven to evolve. So, what exactly are these changes that we, as producers and retailers, face today?

1. Convenience and choice will drive consumer behaviour

Let’s face it: Our customers’ shopping habits are changing. Apparently, the pattern is said to have shifted markedly about five years ago.  One must note that this generation spends money differently from the way their parents used to. In the future, for instance, it would be incomprehensible for them to spend two hours of their time food shopping on a Sunday.

2. Online will take a larger share of grocery sales

In a digital world, the grocery run has also changed course and found a faster, easier route. Thanks to online shopping, e-commerce giants like Amazon now have bragging rights to a convenient platform on which to shop from home. Inevitably, we must contend with innovations and advancements in which we should neither be outpaced nor left behind. 

3. Discounters will continue to eat market share

A renewed focus on low prices has come from consumer demand for value after the economic downturn. Although the economy has recovered, consumer habits have remained consistent. Decades have seen the Big Four namely Tesco, Asda, Morrisons, and Sainsbury’s dominate the UK scene. What these retailers seem to have underestimated, however, is the meteoric rise of present-day discount chains. Clashing with the titans of the supermarket industry, they promote the value of no-frills shopping where one can buy comparable goods at low prices. Powerful as price is, it drives trade in a different direction. 

4. Further consolidation and diversification.

Dealt this hand, the Big Four were forced to broker deals to acquire greater volume and growth. Mergers like Sainsbury’s/Asda and Tesco/Booker rendered them more influential and competitive. Because of the redundancy and overlap that comes with consolidating companies, however, store closures and job losses could result from it. 

Demographically, we are also dealing with a much more diversified consumer base. As we face this diversification in population, the grocer of today no longer caters to the tastes and preferences of the same market as it had before.

5. Brexit is still a wild card.

Last but not least, blame it on Brexit. Britain’s exit from the European Union will certainly have a long and lasting impact beyond the grocery front. Aside from disrupting many supply chains and affecting the trade and import of goods, it also drives the UK manufacturing sector to drastically expand both farming and production locally in order to meet the country’s demand.As with any retail market, we in the UK know only too well that the customer always comes first! Thus, part of being consumer-driven would be to respond to these changes in the context of these five factors. Game-changing, they will shape how well we operate in the present and influence how much we succeed in the future.

Understanding Our Emotional Response to the Colour of Food

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They say the eyes are the window to the soul, and it looks like they are also the lens through which we view a lot of our food choices. At the centre of our thoughts and emotions, the human brain works so intricately as to enable us to respond to the stimulus of colour as perceived through vision. And when the eyes perceive colourful food that is either stimulating or suppressing to the appetite, then the body responds accordingly.

At present, how well do we understand our emotional response to colour? As individuals who vary in age group, gender, upbringing, and culture, we all respond to external stimuli differently. We each have our own preference when choosing clothes, combining accessories, and furnishing our homes. When it comes to food however, it looks like there are colours that affect us universally.

Now knowing that they affect personal choices, this knowledge can be put to good use in food packaging design. We no longer pick them impromptu and at random, but instead choose the ones that specifically cater to the human palate.

Looking at the colour wheel, there are those that stimulate us visually and emotionally. Furthermore, a darker shade evokes a stronger response while a lighter shade or hue creates a weaker one. In a nutshell, they basically influence our emotions and affect our mood as follows:

  • Red – Passionate. Energetic. Excited.
  • Orange – Happy. Friendly. Affordable.
  • Yellow – Sunny. Optimistic. Playful.
  • Green – Fresh. Natural. Organic.
  • Blue – Honest. Calm. Caring.
  • Violet – Creative. Imaginative.
  • White – Pure. Clean.
  • Brown – Earthy. Nurturing.
  • Black – Strong. Sophisticated.

So, there you are. With just a few strokes on the palette on your food packaging design, you can elicit either a positive or a negative response. You are able to create the desire to eat up or to cut down on food. As a food producer or retailer, this comes in handy because you absolutely want the eyes of your consumers on your products!

Are you interested in more tips about using colour in food packaging? Go ahead and have a look at Best Food Packaging Colours that Influence Consumers to Buy and The Type of Packaging that Gets Your Product into Their Shopping Carts. Happy reading and thank you! J