week 2 discuuions

N early two-thirds of consumers

globally (63%) prefer to buy

goods and services from com-

panies that stand for a shared

purpose that refl ects their personal

values and beliefs, and are ditching those

that don’t, according to new research

from Accenture.

This is good news for supermarket

chains like Albertsons, Kroger and Aldi,

who are at the forefront of their industry

when it comes to social values, sustain-

ability and environmentalism. In the past

year alone, Albertsons has made cleaner

transportation and reducing waste top

priorities, while Kroger’s announcement

that it would eliminate single-use plastic

bags by 2025 and Aldi’s involvement with

the How2Recycle program have shown

their commitment to more than what

they sell.

The Accenture study, which surveyed

nearly 30,000 consumers from around

the world, found that companies that

stand for something bigger than what

12 SUPERMARKETNEWS.COM JANUARY 2019

SHOPPER INSIGHTS  CONSUMER TRENDS

Choosing brands that take a stand Study shows that “purpose” helps build deeper consumer connections with businesses

H A

L F P

O IN

T /I S T O

C K

/G E T T Y I M

A G

E S P

L U

S

SHOPPING WITH PURPOSE Consumers are attracted to companies that are committed to using quality ingredients, treat employees well and believe in reducing plastics and improving the environment.

BUILDING A PURPOSE

ACCORDING TO ACCENTURE, businesses that want to

build stronger consumer connections and sustain their com-

petitiveness by becoming purpose-led can do so by:

• DEFINING WHAT THEIR BUSINESS STANDS FOR: Companies

need to determine the larger role they want to play in their

customers’ lives and put a stake in the ground. Leaders can

do that by understanding what their customers feel passion-

ately about, why their employees choose to work for them

and why other businesses partner with them. They’ll fi nd

what makes the company special for their customers and

use it to make a difference.

• BEING CLEAR AND AUTHENTIC: Consumers can see through

inauthenticity. If a company is truly committed to its pur-

pose, its principles guide every business decision. This

purpose will bind consumers, employees and shareholders

alike. It requires bold leadership

where actions speak louder than

words.

• ENGAGING CONSUMERS ON A DEEPER

LEVEL: With consumers actively

aligning themselves to specifi c com-

panies and having a stake in their success,

businesses can capitalize on this energy by getting cus-

tomers involved in co-creating new products and services,

designing initiatives or partnerships and investing in the

company’s growth in exchange for personalized rewards.

Including customers in their innovation ecosystem will help

companies maintain their relevance, identify new growth

opportunities and markets, and keep them on track with

delivering on their promises.

aligning themselves to specifi c com-

panies and having a stake in their success,

U S consumers prefer to eat dinner

at home and are seeking more

ways to help them do so, a survey

by online grocer Peapod fnds.

Of more than 1,000 adults polled, 77%

said they would rather eat a homemade

meal than go out for dinner, and 43%

aim to cook more in 2019, according to

Peapod’s annual meal planning forecast,

compiled by Engine.

The top reason consumers said they’d

rather make dinner at home is cost sav-

ings, cited by 77% of respondents. Other

reasons for preferring to cook at home

included the desire to eat healthier (51%)

and spend more quality time with family

(41%), according to Peapod, a subsidiary of

supermarket retailer Ahold Delhaize USA.

Millennials exhibited a greater desire

to eat dinner at home, Peapod noted. The

survey revealed that 59% of Millennials

plan to cook more often, while 48% said

that making the evening meal at home

afords more time with family.

Consumers see easy meal preparation

as one key to having more homemade

meals. Forty-seven percent of those sur-

veyed said they plan to take advantage of

online grocery pickup or delivery and/or

meal kit delivery in 2019.

Peapod’s study found that men are a

bit more interested than women (23%

versus 18%) in using a meal kit in 2019. In

addition, nearly twice as many Millennials

(60%) as Baby Boomers (31%) expressed

intent to buy a meal kit this year.

Millennials, too, were three to four

times more likely than Boomers to have

interest in creating weekly meal plans

(51% versus 16%), cooking with children

(39% versus 9%) and using online grocery

delivery (29% versus 10%).

Weekdays are prime time for home-

cooked meals, and Wednesday is the

most popular day to cook dinner at home,

cited by 75% of consumers polled. Also,

Wednesday was the most popular day for

respondents to use meal kits (51%).

Fifty-three percent of Americans aim

to prepare more healthy meals in 2019,

according to Peapod. To that end, 52%

plan to use more fresh ingredients, and

51% intend to cut down on the amount of

processed foods they eat.

In recent months, Chicago-based

Peapod began expanding its lineup

of meal solutions. The company in

September unveiled plans to roll out 40

new meal kits through this spring. The

launch includes a broader distribution of

the kits as well as new recipes. Peapod

partnered with an array of consumer

packaged goods brands — including

Campbell’s, Uncle Ben’s, Conagra and

PepsiCo — to create the new meal kits.

— Russell Redman

JANUARY 2019 SUPERMARKETNEWS.COM 13

When possible, Americans want dinner at home Peapod survey shows consumers strive to cook their own meals

P E A

P O

D

they sell, communicate their purpose

and demonstrate commitment are more

likely to attract consumers and infuence

purchasing decisions, which improves

competitiveness.

Sixty-two percent of consumers

globally want companies to take a stand

on the social, cultural, environmental

and political issues close to their hearts.

Moreover, 65% say their purchasing

decisions are infuenced by the words,

values and actions of a company’s leaders.

Consumers are attracted to organizations

that are committed to using good quality

ingredients (76%), treat employees well

(65%) and believe in reducing plastics and

improving the environment (62%).

Additionally, 62% of consumers say

their purchasing consideration is driven

by a company’s ethical values and authen-

ticity. Three-quarters crave greater

transparency in

how companies

source their

products, ensure

safe working

conditions and

their stance on

important issues

such as animal

testing.

“In this

era of radical

transparency,

consumers are voicing their opinions,

values and beliefs, scrutinizing the actions

of organizations and their leadership, and

holding them accountable. They can see

through inauthenticity and won’t tolerate

it,” said Kevin Quiring, managing director,

Accenture Strategy. “Consumers’ voices

can change the fnancial trajectory of

companies. They are more than buyers

— they are active stakeholders who are

investing their time and attention and

want to feel a sense of shared purpose.

The winners in this era will not be passive

bystanders.”

— Michael Browne

OF CONSUMERS

say their purchasing

consideration is driv-

en by a company’s

ethical values and

authenticity.

SOURCE: ACCENTURE

62%

NEW MEAL FRONTIER This Frontera pork

tacos meal is

one of 40 new

kits Peapod will be

introducing from

now through spring.

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