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Supermarkets See Superinflation in 2022

Inflation is on the rise all around the world. In the United States, the inflation rate hit 7.5% in January, the fastest pace in 40 years, but other major economies are suffering similar problems. U.K. inflation rose to 5.5% in January and is expected to reach 8% in the Spring. In the Eurozone, inflation stands above 5%—higher than at any time since the launch of the single currency. On the other side of the globe, prices are increasing more rapidly in both Australia and New Zealand.

Policymakers are hopeful some of this inflation will prove to be short-lived. They believe this bout is partly explained by disruption from the COVID-19 pandemic, with the world now struggling to cope with a surge in demand following the reopening of so many economies. That is driving the price of raw materials and energy higher. Logistics costs add to the pressure, with the world’s shipping and freight companies also trying to re-orient themselves in the wake of the pandemic.

However, not all economists are convinced by these arguments—and central banks such as the Bank of England are already conceding that inflation may last longer than initially expected. The war in Ukraine has the potential …

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As retail catapults into the future, companies can’t afford to get left behind. Leading the way in industry influence, Amazon shapes global retail standards and shopping habits. To stay competitive, more retailers and consumer packaged goods (CPG) suppliers are taking specific actions to emulate Amazon’s signature inventiveness and customer obsession.

Let’s see how retailers are keeping up with Amazon, plus the capabilities retailers are looking for, which CPG suppliers should pitch to stand out and sell more.

Retailers invest in technology for efficiency

Many retailers are scrambling to digitize their processes to keep up with the e-commerce giant. The following tech trends are helping retailers accelerate the pace of their omnichannel service.

Artificial intelligence (AI)

AI powers many retail processes, including Amazon’s personalized recommendations, assortment planning, and Just Walk Out technology for cashierless in-store service. Now retailers are doubling down on AI for faster processes that make the customer experience more convenient.

Walmart added AI to its fulfillment processes to fill online orders faster. 1 Redman, Russell. Walmart to build local fulfillment centers at dozens of stores. Supermarket News. January 27, 2021. Neiman Marcus uses AI to match product and customer data for personalized product recommendations. 2 Goldberg, Jason. AI’s …
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Creating a Brand Voice That Will Connect With Consumers

There are myriad ways you can connect with consumers. One of the most important ways is developing a brand voice that shows the consumer packaged goods (CPG) world who you are and provides that first impression and connection with potential consumers.

Now, you may be thinking, “I have a brand. But does it have a voice?” Or maybe you’re thinking, “My brand has a voice, but is it saying the right thing?” 

Creating a brand voice that connects with consumers can seem like a daunting task, but we’ve done some of the heavy lifting for you and created this quick guide to help you create a brand voice that sings better than Pavarotti and Maria Callas combined.

What is a brand voice?

What do you think of when you hear the words “little blue box”? What comes to mind when you see a gecko? When you see a white cursive lettering on a red background?

If you said, Tiffany, Geico, and Coca-Cola, you’ve just passed your first test of understanding what brand voice is.

Simply put, a brand’s voice is its vibe or its personality, if you will.  It’s the image you create, and the feeling that you want consumers …

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MUST Wine Loft Discovers Charcuterie Must-Haves By Ordering On RangeMe

Are you hosting a dinner party? Looking for a one-of-a-kind Vermouth? In the mood for a unique, European-inspired dining experience? MUST Wine Loft has exactly what you are looking for! MUST Wine Loft is a European-inspired artisanal wine and cheese store and cafe located in downtown St. Petersburg, FL, specializing in selling all the wine, cheese, and charcuterie essentials you could want. They sell everything from cheese spreaders and wine glasses to curated gift baskets and retail wines. MUST even prepares full lunch and dinner menus incorporating local produce, fresh-baked breads, and artisanal products. The visionary behind this operation and business is Jessica Arkwright, Founder of the company and Mother of MUST Wine Loft. 

After working in the hospitality industry for more than 20 years and gaining years of buying experience, Arkwright decided it was finally time to open her own specialty store and cafe. She teamed up with retired cheesemonger, Raymond Cotteret, in 2020 and got to work on a business plan that would make their dreams come true. 

RangeMe had the pleasure of interviewing Arkwright to discuss the inspiration behind MUST Wine Loft, how she uses RangeMe to discover new suppliers and products for her customers, insights on …

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While selling a product for full price may be the main goal for many brands, there are also many reasons why a brand would want to put their product on sale. It may seem counterintuitive, but putting your products on sale can actually help promote an increase in sales—a lower price point gains more interest and trial, for example.

But before you go slashing prices on your products, be sure to take in the full picture of what it means to put your product on sale, and how that can affect your brand overall. Let’s look at some best practices when executing an on-sale strategy.

Promotions and limited-time sales

Does anyone not look forward to scoring a deal on a shopping holiday? And by that, we mean the days or weekends when consumers know products will be deeply discounted. Think Black Friday, Cyber Monday, Christmas in July sales, Back to School, Memorial Day sales—you get the idea.

These are the days that brands rely on to generate sales and profit, and they often do so by offering their products at a sale price, whether big or small. Black Friday 2021, for example, saw more than 154 million people shopping for …

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Empty Team Bench

Retailers are getting shoppers back in droves. That’s great news. For the most recent period, while online retail sales fell for the third straight month, visits to stores were up. In fact, NRF’s annual forecast predicts that retail sales for 2022 will increase between 6 percent and 8 percent to between $ 4.86 trillion and $ 4.95 trillion.


The Retail Doctor Blog…

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