Voice of Food Retail Blog

Monster of an Idea to Keep Family Meals Alive

In 2019 the Gold Plate Awards will recognize retailer, supplier and community collaborator programs that creatively participated in National Family Meals Month in September....

Urge Congress to Prohibit Retroactive Pharmacy DIR Fees

According to the federal government, DIR fees charged to pharmacies have grown by more than 45,000 percent over the past 10 years! And, in an industry that operates on razor-thin profit margins, supermarket pharmacies have virtually no ability to ...

Food Safety, Technology and Regulatory Decision Making at the FDA

At this year’s biennial FDA Science Forum, scientists from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and academia shared cutting-edge food safety research to update the general public on important work being conducted to protect public health. The ...

Photo Friday: Grocers Visit MIT

Our Chief Information Officer (CIO) Council visited the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, better known as MIT, for its fall ...

Monitoring SNAP Policy Implications for Food Retail

Over the past year, USDA and other agencies have announced proposed rules changes for SNAP participation. FMI has tracked these changes and provided commented on key issues that could affect our industry. We highlighted a few proposals we’re ...

Speaks 2019: How Can You Benefit?

Based on response to the 2019 The Food Retailing Industry Speaks survey, food retailers are moving forward with proactive strategies to navigate the barriers and embrace new opportunities. As part of this process, food retailers are learning how to ...

FMI Food Safety Innovation Award – Recognizing Excellence in Food Safety

Food Safety Innovation Award nominations are now being accepted and are due by November 1, 2019. Presentation of the award will take place in conjunction with the FMI Food Safety Committee Meeting on January 24, 2020, in Phoenix, AZ. ...

Observations from Groceryshop—Through an FMI Lens

In his June address to an audience of 6,000 at their annual associates and shareholders celebration, Doug McMillon, president and CEO of Walmart Inc. shared, “If I oversimplify our ability to thrive in the future, it comes down to one thing: our ...

Helping Retailers Navigate the Americans with Disabilities Act

Recently, FMI hosted a webinar for members to examine the Americans with Disability Act, or “ADA,” based on recent trends in litigation, and ways to help mitigate potential ...

Helping Families Be Healthier and Happier with Quick, Easy Seafood Meals

The FMI Foundation partnered with the Seafood Nurtrition Partnership™ to emphasize the importance of family meals, expanding National Family Meals Month™ throughout the year and into a true movement - the Family Meals Movement....

Technology’s Opportunity to Accelerate Fresh Foods

Technology can be a game changer in fresh foods because it brings new solutions to longstanding problems. These include challenges related to inventory, waste, freshness, and food safety. However, the technology story will play out differently in ...

Speaks 2019: Success Despite or Because of Challenges

What did the 70th version of Speaks reveal? It paints the picture of a resilient industry continuing to address the diverse range of challenges confronting it. Some of the hurdles are old and familiar, such as growing interchange fees and rising ...

Proposed Regulatory Changes Could Offer Truckers Much Needed Flexibility

Grocers know all too well the important role the trucking industry plays not just for food retailers, but for the American economy more broadly. Trucks are responsible for moving 70% of all freight tonnage in the U.S. every year, which includes ...

Photo Friday: Helping Families Share More Meals Together

National Family Meals Month™ is coming to a close, but the family meals celebration is still going strong. Here are some of the ways the food retail industry is helping consumers share more meals ...

Loyalty Programs: Getting to Know You, Getting to Know All About You

Thirty years later shoppers are still sharing data with their grocery store, privacy is still a concern, and there is a limit to the willingness of shoppers to share personal information for specific benefits. According to the 2019 U.S. Grocery ...