FEATURE | FRESH SURVEY
Prepared foods, grab-and-go meals and expanded promotions ranked among the leading strategies operators plan to use to strengthen fresh departments during the coming year.
Labor shortages topped the list of chal- lenges, followed by concerns surrounding shrink, merchandising execution and main- taining consistent product quality. Freshness continues to define the shop- ping experience. Survey respondents overwhelmingly identified quality and freshness as the attributes consumers value most when shopping fresh departments, ahead of assortment, convenience and price. That emphasis aligns closely with broader consumer trends Parker sees developing across grocery. Consumers increasingly aspire to eat healthier, she said, but supermarkets have not kept pace in helping shoppers achieve those goals. “My continued message is we are sup- ply-centric and we need to become more consumer-centric,” Parker said, referring to what she called the missed moment in pro- duce. “We are being out marketed for share of stomach, share of trip and share of mind.” Marketing beyond price For decades, produce departments have largely relied on promotions and weekly ads to drive volume. Parker argues that approach is no longer sufficient. Fresh produce dominates social media conversations, cooking videos and wellness
content, she said. Influencers regularly fea- ture fresh fruits and vegetables in recipes while younger consumers increasingly seek healthier snacks and meal solutions. Yet much of that enthusiasm never trans- lates into supermarket produce sales. The reason, Parker said, is simple. “Our main marketing lever in produce has been price,” she said. “Well, price assumes that you had a reason to go to that shelf.” Instead of relying primarily on discounts, Parker believes the industry must become significantly better at telling the story behind fresh foods. That includes helping shoppers under- stand how products fit into meals, why certain varieties exist and how they can simplify everyday cooking. The opportunity is especially important as younger consumers increasingly dis- cover foods online before ever entering a grocery store. Circana’s research shows nearly one in 10 produce purchases now occur through ecommerce channels, while younger house- holds routinely blend digital inspiration with in-store shopping. At the same time, Parker said only about 45% of produce dollars now flow through traditional grocery stores as warehouse clubs, mass retailers, specialty grocers and online platforms capture a growing share
of fresh spending. That fragmentation is creating new com- petitive pressures. Warehouse clubs have simplified assort- ments while emphasizing quality. Discount grocers focus on curated selections. Natural and specialty retailers differenti- ate through unique offerings. Traditional supermarkets, meanwhile, often attempt to serve every shopper with every product. “Traditional supermarket groceries are being squeezed from all sides,” Parker said, referring to produce. Retailers respond The Supermarket News survey suggests many retailers recognize those competitive realities. Prepared foods, grab-and-go meals and expanded promotions ranked among the leading strategies operators plan to use to strengthen fresh departments during the coming year. Retailers also identified investments in labor productivity, reducing shrink and improving operational execution among their highest priorities. Technology is expected to play a larger role as well. Respondents cited shrink reduction as one of the industry’s greatest technology
38 SUPERMARKETNEWS.COM SUMMER 2026
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