Consumers Buying Food <em>with</em> a Retailer

By: David Fikes, Vice President, Consumer/Community Affairs and Communication, Food Marketing Institute 

At FMI's 2015 Midwinter Executive Conference, to be held January 24-27, our educational focus will be on the diverse ways consumer empowerment is reshaping the role of the retailer. Consumer thinking appears to be shifting from a mind-set of buying food FROM a retailer to an attitude of buying food WITH a retailer.  This attitude is surfacing in several key retail areas:

• Food Safety: We know 91% of consumers say they trust their grocery store to provide safe food products. At the same time, consumers still identify themselves as being responsible for ensuring the food they purchase is safe, up from 55% in 2009 to 63% last year. However, the level of food safety responsibility that consumers assign to food stores has risen from 25% five years ago to 42% in 2014—the same responsibility level given to government institutions.  This shows consumers view food safety as a collaborative effort between consumer and retailer.   
• “Shared Value” Criteria: Consumers increasingly apply a “shared value” criteria when making their store and product choices—considering if a company they shop at supports their same beliefs or if they agree with the way a product was produced.  More than just a purveyor of foods, retailers are now identified as collaborators in upholding the food values of their customers. 
• Health and Wellness: Consumers ranked their “primary store” among their most trusted health advocates on health and wellness. They see their food retailers providing guidance, resources, encouragement and options in their pursuit of wellness.  Consumers view their food retailer as someone who works with them in this area.

 To learn more about this trend, visit our U.S. Grocery Shopper Trends 2014 report at www.fmi.org/GroceryTrends.