by Jim Dudlicek / NGA Director, Communications and External Affairs
You can tell by all the TV ads for fitness center memberships – it’s that time again when folks are making their New Year’s resolutions, with an eye toward improving their lives.
And it looks like independent grocers are right in the path of where resolutions are trending.
According to market research firm Numerator, physical health resolutions are the top choice, with 73 percent of resolution makers planning to focus on fitness, weight loss and healthy eating. More than half plan to focus on their finances – spend less overall or on non-essential items – so they’ll be looking for values.
About half of consumers plan to make resolutions, up from 43 percent last year, with Millennials leading the pack, followed by Gen X’ers and Boomers, Numerator reports.
Grocers already sit on the nexus of better nutrition, so they’re perfectly positioned to help consumers with their goals for life improvements. Healthy eating solutions, value-centric deals and partnerships with health clubs or health care providers should all be part of your marketing and merchandising plans.
Meanwhile, have you made any business resolutions for 2023?
Are there any plans that got put on hold because of the pandemic? This could be the right time to pull them out of your back pocket.
Maybe you’ve been putting off refreshing your store or updating your website and e-commerce portal. Maybe there’s more you could be doing to engage your customers – enhanced social media, in-store events or community outreach. Maybe you need to replace your display merchandisers or refrigeration system with something more energy efficient. Maybe you need to reassess how you recruit, train and retain your associates. Maybe you could work more collaboratively with your product suppliers.
Maybe you just don’t know where to start.
Especially for smaller operators, projects like these can seem like biting off more than you can chew. Being a member of the National Grocers Association is a great way to network with other grocers facing similar challenges.
Tap the resources we offer. Join a share group to learn how others are working toward their goals. And attend The NGA Show, where education, solutions and innovations abound.
Here’s to a successful and profitable 2023!
