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Quirk's Marketing Research Review: Grocery stores
evolve via high-tech makeovers
From Quirk's Marketing Research Review, November
2008
As shoppers across the U.S. scramble to save money, grocery store
chains are losing market share to supercenters and warehouse clubs. But
Stop & Shop, a Quincy, Mass., grocery store, and Maryland-based
grocery chain Giant are fighting back by introducing a new logo,
additional products, updated store décor and a handful of
high-tech
innovations designed to help shoppers feel they’re managing their
grocery budgets better.
Consumers got their first look at the changes at the Giant store in
Bethesda, Md., in August 2008, but the changes will roll out fully at
both chains, owned by Dutch retailer Ahold, over the next year. Among
the new introductions are expanded private-label offerings, an
increased number of fresh prepared foods, including soups, new
fresh-flavored rotisserie chickens and more hot and cold side dishes.
The store will also offer shoppers a handheld scanner device they can
use throughout the store that checks prices, keeps a running total and
generates brand-related coupons for products as they shop. The company
is also making a bigger investment in convenience: a Delivision kiosk
allows shoppers to place deli orders when they enter the store, so they
don’t have to wait as long in line.
As part of the updates, the company is also testing a family-friendly
lane. In many stores, that simply means that the checkout lane is
tabloid- and candy-free and offers healthy snacks such as yogurt,
animal crackers and bottled water. The company describes the changes as
“a further step in Ahold’s global strategy to create powerful local
consumer brands,” adding that it shows the company is “committed to
providing great food and meal solutions at low prices every day.”
Direct Link: Quirk's Marketing Research Review
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