Consumers are optimistic about the future of in-store technology, but still feel grocery stores need to do more to stay relevant
March 27, 2019 11:06 AM Eastern Daylight Time
DURHAM, N.C.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Phononic, the global leader in solid-state cooling and heating that is breaking the boundaries of semiconductor innovation, today announced the findings of its 2019 Store of the Future Report. This second annual report – which surveyed more than 1,100 U.S. consumers – uncovered insight into shoppers’ habits and offered perspective on what new services shoppers expect to see from food retailers in the next five years.
“In just the past year, we have witnessed a huge amount of disruption in the food retail landscape as Amazon continues to put pressure on traditional grocers to differentiate the customer experience and offer increased in-store efficiency,” said Dana Krug, Vice President and General Manager, Food and Beverage, Phononic. “Consumers’ feedback demonstrates the need for grocers to embrace technology options that make the shopping experience easier and more enjoyable. And as we look towards the future, it’s clear that consumers have some high demands for the technology applications they expect grocers to invest in – from cashier-less checkout to self-driving car delivery.”
The report revealed several key findings as it relates to consumer grocery shopping habits, in-store innovation, and food delivery options. Key highlights include:
In-Store Innovation
- Half of consumers (51%) still feel grocers need to enter the modern age to stay relevant, however this was a slight decrease from 56% in the 2018 survey, showing consumers are recognizing grocers’ efforts.
- Checkout convenience is top-of-mind for consumers, with 89% noting it’s important that grocery stores use technology better and/or more efficiently to make checkout faster. Additionally, 79% of consumers feel the majority of supermarkets will be primarily self-checkout in five years.
- Freedom of placement will shape next-generation store layout, with over half (52%) of consumers expecting frozen and refrigerated items to be distributed throughout the store, rather than only placed in the back or side of the store – where traditional compressor-based refrigerators are required to be placed because of size, vibration and heat emissions.
The Modern Shopping Experience
- The majority of consumers consider grocery shopping a chore, with half of Americans (50%) saying grocery shopping is something they have to do but don’t necessarily want to. Another 12% went further, saying they’d be happy to never step foot inside a grocery store again.
- For those who do like shopping, it’s the communal aspect and product discovery that draws them in, with 28% saying they “love” the experience of shopping at their local store where they know people and people know them. This sentiment is even stronger among Millennials, who are more likely than any other generation (36%) to note they appreciate the communal aspect of grocery shopping. Additionally, 30% of consumers say grocery shopping is like a “mini-holiday” where they can browse aisles and hunt for treasures.
- Consumers feel strongly about buying from brands that care about sustainability and giving back. In fact, 73% gravitate to companies that prove they care about the environment and two-thirds (67%) say it’s important that they buy from a company that uses more sustainable cooling technology.
Food Delivery Options
- Meal delivery options are still struggling to attract shoppers, with 58% of consumers responding they have yet to try them. While the number of consumers who tried a meal delivery service increased from 34% in 2018 to 42% in 2019, consumers still see a number of barriers in terms of convenience, cost and storage.
- Consumers want to choose their own products. In fact, 85% of Americans say part of the fun of grocery shopping is being able to see the various options and the experience of being in the store. More than half (52%) of consumers also cite the in-store experience of selecting their own food as the reason they haven’t tried a meal delivery service.
- Self-driving cars could pave the way for food delivery’s future, with 56% of Americans predicting that it’s likely groceries will be delivered by self-driving cars in the next five years.
For more information on this study, please visit: https://phononic.com/2019/store-of-the-future.
Phononic is revolutionizing the food and beverage industry with sustainable freezers and refrigerators that are transforming the retail environment. Phononic’s semiconductor solutions eliminate the need for a compressor and use no harmful refrigerants. What’s more, its refrigeration and freezing solutions can be placed anywhere within the store because they don’t require special power drops and are nearly silent, unlike conventional compressor units. Flexibility in placement is critical for food service providers today to meet the demands of modern consumers, by allowing grocers to realize new, innovative store layouts. This also allows grocers to rethink food offerings – including more fresh and frozen offerings at checkout, or unique food pairings. To make this a reality, Phononic is actively working with a number of food retailers and distributors including Pepsi Bottling Ventures, the largest privately-held bottler of Pepsi-Cola products in North America.
To learn more, visit: https://phononic.com/commercial-refrigeration/.
About Phononic
Phononic is innovating semiconductor chips that reimagine cooling and heating in ways never thought possible. Its breakthrough solid-state technology is transforming industries and creating new markets with innovative and sustainable solutions that disrupt antiquated business models and incumbent technologies. This includes changing the way we cool telecommunications driving the 5G revolution; safeguarding drugs and highly-sensitive pharmaceuticals in labs and hospitals; transporting and merchandising foods and beverages; and building innovative microclimate environments for the home or office. Phononic is the critical element of innovation needed to radically change what it means to be efficient, effective and sustainable, enabling solutions that combat global warming and use up to 40 percent less energy. Just as LEDs displaced the lightbulb, Phononic’s Thermal Engine and integrated systems design are rendering compressors and other traditional technologies obsolete — allowing designers, engineers and industry leaders to reimagine products that cool and heat.
For more information visit www.phononic.com or follow us on Twitter @Phononic_Inc.
