According to the KPMG Consumer Pulse Survey, while industry estimates anticipate grocery sales to grow approximately 2.7% in the year ahead, consumers are more optimistic about their spending levels. While challenges like COVID-19 and labor shortages have turned business into an uphill battle, the industry has responded with expanded delivery and online services, contactless checkout, and new product selections that broaden consumer options, streamline shopping experiences, and help protect grocers against unexpected disasters in the future. We predict that grocery stores will build on last year’s initiatives, get creative with customer service, and diversify supply chains.
Here’s what we see happening: