Food prices continue to take center stage in grocery retail. Many shoppers view snacks as cheaper food options. And there’s a fascinating story about how precise data drives increases in fast food prices. With the normalization of Buy Now Pay Later for groceries, Consumer Reports ratings of these apps is timely. Value used to be mostly about price yet this has expanded to quality, convenience and other factors. Also, a look at school meals, plant-based, technology (chatGPT, AI and digital cooler screens) and some ‘on the horizon’ articles. After reading in several places that quick delivery isn’t the highest priority for shoppers, I was surprised about Aldi’s launch of 30-minute delivery for certain items https://www.grocerydive.com/news/aldi-launches-30-minute-delivery-virtual-convenience-store/651785/.
Food prices/their effects…
How data is used to plan fast food price increases: many fast food restaurants raised prices 3 to 5 times last year – more often than previously https://www.wsj.com/story/the-data-science-behind-raising-fast-food-prices-63028e98.
Preferential pricing for large retail grocers a reason food prices rise https://thetakeout.com/why-are-groceries-more-expensive-besides-inflation-2023-1850487734 .
Aldi’s summer price cuts on more than 250 products include coffee creamer, coffee, trail mix and more https://www.grocerydive.com/news/aldi-slashes-prices-summer-products-60-million-savings/651401/ . Dollar stores attract household brands https://www.axios.com/2023/05/22/dollar-store-sales-household-brands-expansion. Dollar General’s stocks drop mean their customers are spending less/turning to food banks https://www.cnn.com/2023/06/01/business/nightcap-dollar-general-economy/index.html . Walmart has ~ 26% of SNAP dollars https://www.grocerydive.com/news/walmart-captures-nearly-26-of-snap-grocery-dollars/650742/ . The top retailers likely to attract SNAP shoppers? The top 3 are discount stores https://www.grocerydive.com/news/save-a-lot-food-4-less-resonate-most-snap-shoppers-grocery/650905/.
Fastest growing U. S. retailers? Dollar stores, especially in rural areas, according to data from 2008 to 2020 https://www.vice.com/en/article/5d3v85/dollar-stores-are-the-fastest-growing-food-retailers-in-us-study-finds ;
https://ajph.aphapublications.org/doi/abs/10.2105/AJPH.2022.307193 . The state of snacking: for some, snacks are cheaper https://inspiramarketing.com/why-is-america-snacking-so-much-more-in-2023/ . 27% of all food dollars go to snacks (https://www.fooddive.com/news/snack-sales-2022-growth-inflation/651188/ . A new look at the shoppers’ view of value: it’s more than price-to-quantity ratio but instead includes quality, convenience https://www.grocerydive.com/news/grocery-value-perception-changing-among-consumers-FMI-research-shows/651228/ . Consumer
Reports rates BNPL (Buy Now Pay Later) apps – now a popular way to pay for food https://www.consumerreports.org/short-term-lending/buy-now-pay-later-apps-are-popular-but-are-they-safe-a7441154279/ . Ketchup price up 28%, other condiments get pricey too https://www.cnn.com/2023/05/27/business/memorial-day-bbq-prices/index.html . Wendy’s chili in a can is on grocery shelves: $4.42 at Walmart with almost 1500 mg of sodium in 15 oz. Surprise…1 review says it ‘tastes salty’ https://sporked.com/article/wendys-chili-in-a-can-review/ . UK looking at price caps on some foods to curb inflation https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-65736944 .
School meals…
About 1/2 of comments on USDA school meal proposals are opposed https://www.k12dive.com/news/usda-comments-school-nutrition-proposal/650686/ . Lunchables in school meals: one nutritionist’s response https://www.insider.com/lunchables-will-soon-be-sold-in-schools-nutritionist-torn-2023-3 ; another viewhttps://www.jhunewsletter.com/article/2023/04/dont-make-lunch-ladies-hand-out-lunchables .
Plant-based…
NYC’s ‘Eat a Whole Lot More Plants’ campaign https://www.foodpolitics.com/2023/05/weekend-viewing-new-york-citys-new-eat-plants-campaign/ . Grocers partner with farmers markets https://progressivegrocer.com/grocers-cultivate-relationships-local-farmers-markets . Gene-edited greens that taste less bitter now in foodservice, will expand to retail https://www.fooddive.com/news/crispr-pairwise-conscious-greens-gmo-foodservice/650326/ . All the reasons we ought to eat more beans https://www.vox.com/future-perfect/2023/5/12/23717519/beans-protein-nutrition-sustainability-climate-food-security-solution-vegan-alternative-meat . New Texas labeling law for plant-based/cultivated meat https://www.fooddive.com/news/texas-plant-based-cultivated-meat-labeling-law/651455/ .
Technology…
Instacart’s new chatGPT tool helps shoppers find products, recipes and more https://www.grocerydive.com/news/instacart-launches-chatgpt-search-tool-online-grocery/651604/ .
How well did AI create recipes for a chef? https://austin.eater.com/2023/5/15/23715801/chatgpt-ai-recipe-development-austin-food-truck-bunboy ;and more challenges with AI recipes explained https://www.eater.com/23745417/ai-recipes-are-bad-for-everyone . ChatGPT and food allergies…beware! https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0899900723001053 . Experts grade chatGPT meal plans for 5 different meal plans https://www.bonappetit.com/story/chatgpt-diet-advice-meal-plans . Kroger expands cooler digital screens which means more ads https://www.grocerydive.com/news/kroger-expands-digital-smart-screens-coolers/641808/ .
Heinz ketchup dispenser yet another new way to collect data on us https://restaurantbusinessonline.com/food/kraft-heinzs-high-tech-new-ketchup-dispenser-can-make-200-sauce-combos .
The future…
Precise nutrition study looks to the future of understanding how different people react to food https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2023/05/19/1176905832/our-bodies-respond-differently-to-food-a-new-study-aims-to-find-out-how . Indigenous food lab to open in Minnesota https://www.cbsnews.com/minnesota/news/owamni-founder-sean-sherman-has-sights-set-on-new-project-opening-next-month/ . Global Food Institute to focus on climate change and food production https://gwtoday.gwu.edu/gw-and-jose-andres-partner-lead-world-delivering-food-systems-solutions-through-global-food . UK supermarket removing cartoon characters from packages by spring 2024 https://www.thesun.co.uk/money/22358617/lidl-major-change-to-packaging/ . Foodservice’s challenges to providing low sodium options https://www.news-medical.net/news/20230510/Sodium-showdown-How-the-food-service-industry-battles-salt-to-make-America-healthier.aspx https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2161831323002983.