By: Krystal Register, MS, RDN, LDN, Vice President, Health & Well-being, FMI
The newly released FMI's The Food Retailing Industry Speaks 2024 report provides insights from the industry perspective around growing challenges, positive developments, and innovative strategies. A continued focus on nutrition, health and well-being is cited by both retailers and suppliers as a trend with highly positive impact on the industry.
Let’s explore the top five proactive strategies and investments related to health & well-being:
Enhancing the In-Store Experience
As retailers seek to improve the shopping experience as a differentiation strategy, there may be opportunity to connect evidence-based nutrition messaging to meet consumers right in the aisles and support their personal goals. When a solid health and well-being strategy is part of company mission and vision, positive health messaging can filter down to meet consumer needs as part of an enhanced in-store experience.
Reaching Consumers with H&W Marketing Efforts
The food industry is using a wide variety of communications channels to relay nutrition, health and well-being information, communicating value, supporting shoppers’ interests, and leveraging online shopping. Retailers and suppliers are using social media platforms like TikTok, Facebook, and Instagram, in tandem with in-store signage, digital circulars, email campaigns and mobile ads to reach consumers. When nutrition and health professionals develop and support marketing efforts, a layer of credibility is provided to support inter-connected messaging across all channels.
Innovating Products, Programs and Services
With a health and well-being lens, innovation and assortment of products, programs and services can intentionally link to consumer wellness, family health, nutrition and dietitian services, in-store clinics, and personalized care. By increasing SKUs and expanding space devoted to fresh prepared, private brand, grab-and-go, hybrid meals, and foodservice combinations retailers can build convenient meal solutions aligned with company nutrition strategy and health messaging.
Promoting Value and Loyalty with Private Brands
Product innovation and new items can deliver on consumer desires for less sodium and added sugar along with more beneficial nutrition attributes for health and well-being. Private brand creations can help retailers leverage nutritious and delicious meal and snack ideas and convenient pantry solutions. A top-down focus on nutrition and health builds an intimate connection between private brand offerings and health and well-being messaging, programs, outreach, incentives and services. An overall brand connection between products and services has potential to drive a big win-win promoting value while building customer loyalty.
Strengthening the Workforce with Employee Wellness
Employee health care costs continued to rise in 2023 and are expected to further increase in 2024. Food industry companies are making considerable investments to support their workforce with benefits and healthcare. The majority (71%) of both retailers and product suppliers responding to the 2024 Food Industry Contributions to Health & Well-being survey are offering health and well-being programs and services for their own employees, which can improve health to strengthen and empower the industry workforce.
To build on the momentum and explore more industry insights, dive into the Speaks report.
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