Today, digital changes and innovations are disrupting the way customers shop for their groceries. Supermarkets and grocery stores around the world are acknowledging these digital marketing trends and are expanding their platforms to allow customers to order and shop online via websites and mobile apps. Groceries can then either be delivered or scheduled for a curbside pick-up. Online grocery shopping not only reduces the inconvenience with having to travel to a physical store to search for groceries, but also allows customers to shop more quickly and efficiently. As well, many customers are now redeeming discount codes and online flyers by using their phones. McKinsey & Company reported a high possibility that in-store cash registers will be replaced with mobile-based payments through near field communications technology in the future.

Grocery shopping from the convenience of your home

Nielson conducted a survey in 2015 and discovered that one-quarter of global respondents stated they are currently ordering grocery products online. 55% of the respondents stated that they are willing to shop on digital platforms in the future. Currently in Canada, only a few companies such as Walmart, Safeway, Loblaws, Zehrs, Real Canadian Superstore and Wholesale Club banners offer these platforms, which is used by roughly 20% of their customers. I expect these numbers to increase in the near future since Millennials and Generation Z customers are starting to shop for their own groceries instead of relying on their parents.

A key takeaway is that digital marketing is rapidly evolving and is set to replace traditional marketing processes within the grocery industry in the future. Also, companies that are unable to keep up with these trends can potentially lose their competitive positioning to competitors that are more invested in offering digital marketing platforms.