By Paul Milner,
Displaydata
Many
of today’s shoppers are extremely conscientious of the food they eat, now more than ever. This
is especially true for the 15 million Americans and 17 million
Europeans
living with food allergies, and the millions of other shoppers who have implemented
dietary changes to alleviate non-allergy health issues or to simply eat healthier
and cleaner.
In
the U.S., brands are required by law to list the top
eight allergens on food packaging, as well as items packaged and labeled at the
store. These foods include milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, soy, wheat, fish and
shellfish. Because even trace amounts of these food allergens can cause
allergic reactions, the “precautionary labels” that are currently used may not
be enough. Many consumers now demand more detailed and thorough information
from brands to ensure they know exactly what is in the food they buy.
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The
Food Marketing Institute currently recommends grocery retailers establish a
four-part plan for informing consumers of allergens and handling possible
cross-contaminations in the store, consisting of:
1.
Transparent
communication with consumers of potential allergen risks.
2.
Staff
training on allergens and allergen management program.
3.
Accurate
labeling to inform shoppers of potential allergens and meet federal guidelines.
4.
Developing
retail operations to quickly manage allergen spills and train to avoid
cross-contamination in cooking demonstrations.
Grocery
shopping with an allergy or dietary restrictions can be stressful and
difficult, but retailers can implement in-store technologies and programs to
reduce that burden on their consumers. With active and transparent
communication, these technologies provide the food allergen information consumers
need to ensure they are getting the best, and healthiest, shopping experience.
Providing
Resources To Consumers
While
brands do include potential food allergens on their packaging, it can be
difficult for some shoppers to locate and reach items on the top or bottom shelves
to review the ingredients on the labels or find the information difficult to
locate or read. By providing detailed product information directly on
digitally-enabled labels, consumers can more easily review ingredients and
verify that it meets their allergy or dietary needs. For further precaution, retailers
can work with brands to let shoppers know if the product was processed in a
factory that also processes potential food allergens. This can be achieved
through in-store technologies, such as electronic shelf labels (ESLs) that
allow retailers to share product and allergen information (including country of
origin and much more), as well as up-to-date pricing and promotion information,
directly on the shelf edge at the point of decision.
For
added convenience, ESLs also can enable retailers and brands to share recipes,
meal recommendations or special promotions based on a shopper’s allergy or
dietary needs via a QR code on the label. This approach is a win-win for both
consumers and retailers — it takes the stress out of shoppers’ meal planning
and establishes the retailer as a trusted resource for future shopping trips.
Improving
The Prepared Foods Section
Purchases
of prepared foods and meals are up 30% since 2008, specifically
among Millennials. In light of this increase, grocers need to be especially candid
in the labeling of delicatessen and prepared foods to meet the needs of their
shoppers’ diet restrictions. These sections don’t always have the luxury to
rely on pre-printed brand packaging, typically relying on store associates to
update labels every day based on the scheduled offerings for that day. This, of
course, takes valuable time away from assisting customers.
Not
only are Millennials more inclined to buy prepared foods at the grocery store,
according to a recent study by Mintel, they are also more
likely to be concerned with harmful ingredients in their foods, often opting
for “free-from” foods. As well, Millennials are more interested in
purchasing foods
that are likely to keep them full and energized and sourced sustainably, choosing
quality over cost.
With
Millennials twice as likely to
distrust large food manufacturers, transparency about product information
and ingredients in prepared foods is necessary for retailers and brands to
reach this generation in the midst of their prime spending years. In-store
technologies like ESLs allow retailers to include a wide range of relevant
media and resources such as customer reviews, display sustainability
information or source of origin, or by scanning a QR to see recipes. These
in-store technologies help to build trust and improve customer interaction with
this tech savvy, experience-driven generation.
Shopping
with a food allergy or dietary restrictions can be time-consuming and
challenging, but retailers and grocers now have the power to alleviate some of
that stress for their shoppers. By providing detailed product and allergen
information directly on the shelf edge, retailers will have happier and
healthier shoppers who are bound to return again and again knowing they can
access the information they need for their specific diets.
Paul
Milner is the Marketing Director for Displaydata, the leader in the
design and supply of fully graphic electronic shelf labels (ESLs). Milner is a
senior retail marketing professional, with more than 20 years of experience
helping business-focused brands introduce new solutions and concepts to their
markets. Prior to working with Displaydata, Milner served as the Enterprise
Solutions Marketing Manager, EMEA, for Zebra Technologies. There he was
responsible for developing and executing the company’s EMEA GTM strategy for
retail. Milner has also held senior marketing roles with Motorola Solutions,
Wincor Nixdorf, Canon Europe and Sharp Electronics.
