2018 was a challenging year for the grocery sector, with changes in consumer shopping behaviors and competition from alternative retailers forcing many to re-evaluate their entire operations and how they engage with consumers. Online shopping and home delivery, both defining trends for other retail sectors over the past decade, have had a dramatic impact on the grocery sector, paced, of course, by Amazon. Traditional grocery chain consolidation and a tight labor market also contributed to the upheaval of 2018. But while those macro-trends are unlikely to fade in 2019, there remains significant opportunity for grocers willing to adapt and pursue agile, customer-centric strategies.
The grocery business may be changing, but grocers can capitalize on that change by differentiating their operations and focusing on the customer experience.
