Most shoppers aspire to eat and live well, with 85% saying they are actively trying to improve their diet, but aspirations don’t always translate into action. However, the IGD believes shoppers will be more health conscious going forward, so supporting them to both look and feel good will be a major priority for retailers and their suppliers.
The IDG also predicts that firms will increasingly take the lead on sustainability. Retailers are no longer thinking about just reducing waste, but want to make a positive, tangible contribution. The next wave of innovative and leading retailers and brands will move beyond reducing their impact, the IGD believes.
In addition, the use of data is also among the IGD’s top predictions for 2019’s global retail trends. As well as helping to boost sales, accurate data will be vital for tools that allow retailers to understand customer behaviour and reward their loyalty, said the IGD.
The organisation believes physical stores will offer a much more digital experience in 2019, where searching aisles and shelves for the right item is replaced by an app that guides shoppers to where they want to be.
Toby Pickard, head of insight, innovation and futures at IGD, said: “Physical stores offer customers a more tangible shopping experience, where they can see products before they commit to purchase. This gives these spaces an advantage over online providers, and we are seeing stores begin to capitalise on that and add in extras to incorporate more of the benefits of online.
“A recent example of this is Il Viaggiator Goloso, a premium Italian brand, which has enabled its electronic shelf-edge labels to show the online reviews and scores products have received. This gives customers a more informed choice in store.”
In addition, the IGD predicts social commerce will grow with more options for purchasing products ‘on the go’. Retailers and suppliers will deliver targeted marketing, and new ways to make online shopping more social, instantaneous, and convenient, the IGD adds.