Major Trends Affecting Supermarkets

The future of supermarkets is being influenced by a number of customer trends, reports National Retail Federation.

First of all, shoppers are increasingly moving away from the traditional 45,000-square-foot grocery store in favor of smaller shops that focus on fresh foods as well as “grocerants,” stores that offer groceries and a restaurant under one roof. These kinds of stores are especially resonating with Millennial customers.

Another significant trend is that customers are also looking for supermarkets to offer more online ordering. Since 2013, customers purchasing groceries online has nearly doubled, jumping from 11 percent to 21 percent. One in five customers is now actively using online grocery services, accounting for about 16 percent of their weekly grocery spending.