How Regional Grocery Outlets Continue to Rule the Roost Post-pandemic

Consumer behaviors and purchase patterns keep shifting, as customers respond to global events and health crises such as the Russia-Ukraine war and Covid pandemic, respectively.

- SHUBHAM DASGUPTA

Technology is getting affordable fast, increasing the visibility of even a single-store local kirana entity. Although investment capacities vary drastically, customers are availing benefits of athome delivery and online payment while procuring goods from regional and national brands equally.

Regional grocers are appealing to next-door customers with a powerful combination of one-onone relationships based on long-term acquaintances, and a far diversified product catalogue. There are several other reasons why regional grocers are in for the win.

PRO-HEALTH DEMAND

Since the onset of the pandemic, caution became the forefront of consumer purchase behavior as people thought every product could harm potentially. “This drove many to adopt a ‘perceived’ healthy lifestyle by making changes beyond physical activities and micro-assessing what they eat, how they eat, and how they prepare food,” said Gurmukh Roopra, CEO, Namdhari’s Group, Bengaluru.

For another spectrum of consumers, expectations were correlated with their exposure to daily lives and progression at a broader level. Their impact was through digital content that influenced them to seek more choices, better quality, and a greater degree of standardization, albeit through an assortment for localized sustainable brands.