According to Social Food, 79% of French people in 2017 think that food can cause health problems.
So they look for certification and methods of consumption that give them control over what they eat.
According to Social Food again, 65% of them eat ORGANIC products on a regular basis. In addition to this, of the 60% of French people who think that the Made in France label is a guarantee of quality, 75% favour Made in France for their food.
Although this new relationship with food has an explicit impact on communication, as is shown by the Fleury Michon campaigns and the “new” McDonald’s branding, new trends in food consumption are taking longer to become evident in retail. Which raises the question, what impact do new food consumption trends have on retail?
Products with certification are increasing in number and are increasingly identifiable on the shelves. Certification is highlighted through the use of stickers and packaging. “Specialist” counters such as fishmongers, delicatessens and butchers are becoming more common and more visible thanks to improved signage.
Some brands are going further, however, and offering a new shopper experience.
An example of this is the Coop in Milan, which provides online screens to enable customers to check the traceability of products. Online mirrors above fruit and vegetable counters provide customers with full details of the products they select.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kb8txki-9j8
In Zona Sul in Brazil, vegetables are kept in the earth, for customers to pick themselves :
Despite the increase in requirements in terms of food, however, the French have less time to prepare their meals. They head for ready meals, fast food offers and home delivery. Franprix has understood this and joined up with Allo Resto by Just Eat to provide a themed package home delivery service.
https://www.alloresto.fr/livraison/franprix/
Despite the new offers and services made available by retailers, alternative methods of consumption are booming. Technological innovations and public actions provide customers with the benefits of a vegetable garden, even in the city. New collaborative consumer channels, such as the Associations for the Preservation of Peasant Farming (AMAPs) are being created.
For the first time in 8 years, the volume of supermarket sales in the food sector has fallen: -0.2% in 2016
Although the retail sector is currently adapting in order to respond to new food consumption trends, new players with greater relevance to consumer needs are inviting these consumers to use retail brands alongside the alternative solutions they are gradually adopting.
By Sidney Debaque, Strategic Planner, Agence Cosmic