Brain Food
Applause for the ‘Elite’
Kudos to The Kroger Co., Walgreens and Procter & Gamble for joining the ranks of InformationWeek’s Elite 100, an annual list of the top business technology innovators in the United States. Kroger, which took the No. 3 spot, was recognized for its QueVision technology solution, which has since reduced average customer wait time from four minutes to 30 seconds. Deerfield, Ill.-based Walgreens and Cincinnati-based Procter & Gamble ranked 60th and 75th, respectively.
Power of Persuasion
Ninety-one percent of women conduct online research prior to making a purchase, and 92 percent are willing to pay more for competing products that receive positive online reviews, according to a survey conducted by San Diego-based marketing firm Interactions.
The Retail Perceptions “Power of Persuasion” survey further revealed that 80 percent of women are influenced by viewing positive product reviews online, and 67 percent say they’re less likely to buy a product they were considering, after viewing negative reviews.
The Bare ‘Minimum’
PG’s most recent poll question asked readers the extent to which they agree with raising the minimum wage. Here’s how the
votes stacked up as we went to press with this issue:
- Strongly agree 27.27%
- Somewhat agree 13.63
- Indifferent 13.63
- Somewhat disagree 22.72
- Strongly disagree 22.72
Spread the Word
The $3.9 billion nut-based and sweet spread category grew 34 percent from 2008-13, according to Chicago-based Mintel, and is forecasted to reach $6.5 billion by 2018, a 65 percent increase.
Due in part to countless new product launches, spreads maintain high household penetration rates and have become pantry staples for many.
Mintel, which found a 97.7 percent increase in new product varieties and extensions from 2009-13, sees an opportunity for continued growth in the category — particularly related to ingredients, flavors and multi-use innovation.