Magazine Description

In this issue

At a time when the Covid-19 scourge continues its rampage unabated, consumers have certain expectations from the food industry: Access to an abundance of safe, affordable, healthy food, neatly merchandised in clean stores, is an expectation we all have, much like running water, electricity and reliable internet. So when something happens to upset the rhythm of our lives, we want a quick return to the normal and the way things were. But deÀ ning normal is extremely challenging because COVID-19 is still upon us, among us. Shopper expectations are still being reset in potentially dramatic ways. For example, COVID-19 brought a new era of SKU rationalization and reduced hours? And what role will prepared foods and self-serve departments play in food retailing’s future? At this point, we just don’t know what’s on the other side of the COVID-19 nightmare. But there are a couple of things we can be certain about, though: There will be no return to normal for retailers. Retail is in a constant state of change and advancement and readjustment to customers’ expectations. Sometimes those expectations are set by a forward-looking competitor that sees what others don’t and gets there À rst to serve customers in new ways. Other times, as in the current situation, an external force resets shopper expectations.