FEATURE | FRESH SURVEY
through ecommerce, making digital mer- chandising just as important as the physical produce department. Second, she believes grocers should focus on solution selling. Instead of simply displaying broccoli or asparagus, supermarkets should show con- sumers how those products fit into complete meals. “We know people are going to the pre- pared foods section and buying their protein, or they’re going to the meat depart- ment and buying their protein,” Parker said. “Well, where are the produce side dishes? How do you take a head of broccoli and make it a side dish?” She also urged retailers to embrace digital storytelling inside stores through QR codes, short-form videos and interactive displays that connect shoppers with growers and explain how products are grown, prepared and used. “I think we could do a lot more with dig- ital storytelling in the store,” Parker said. “How do we bring the farmer’s story, the agriculture story, to market? Digital, social, short-form video—those are all things I’d love to see more on the floor.” That observation closely mirrors comments submitted by retailers in the Supermarket News survey. Many respondents said future growth will depend on creating a more engaging shopping experience rather than simply expanding assortment. Retailers cited opportunities including stronger prepared-food programs, more localized merchandising, increased use of regional products, broader Hispanic assort- ments and merchandising strategies tailored to neighborhood demographics. Others pointed to recipe inspiration, cross-mer- chandising and meal solutions as ways to differentiate traditional supermarkets from warehouse clubs and discount chains. Several respondents also emphasized execution. Fresh departments continue to distinguish supermarkets from many com- petitors, they said, but maintaining in-stock positions, reducing out-of-stocks and con- sistently delivering high-quality products remain essential if grocers hope to retain shopper loyalty. Competition, meanwhile, shows little sign of slowing.
Fresh departments remain one of supermarkets’ greatest competitive advantages, supported by strong retailer confidence, continued investment and consumer demand for healthier eating.
Survey respondents identified Walmart among their most formidable competitors, followed by warehouse clubs, value retail- ers, natural grocers and mass merchants. Price remains the primary advantage those competitors hold, but respondents increas- ingly believe traditional supermarkets can offset that pressure through service, qual- ity, prepared foods and differentiated fresh offerings. Parker agrees. Consumers already want to eat more fruits and vegetables, she said. The chal- lenge is converting that aspiration into purchases. “This is a moment when a lot of people are intentionally looking at produce and wanting to eat good fresh produce,” Parker said. “The retailers and the manufactur- ers need to come together and talk about demand driving just as much as we talk about supply.” For Parker, the stakes extend well beyond the next quarter. During the pandemic, Americans con- sumed fresh fruits and vegetables at some of the highest rates in recent history as households consolidated shopping trips and cooked more meals at home. As life returned to normal, those consumption pat- terns softened even as consumer interest in health and wellness continued to grow. Without a more consumer-focused approach, she warned, produce depart- ments risk settling for modest gains while other grocery categories capture a larger
share of consumer spending. “What I don’t want to be talking about five years from now,” Parker said, “is saying the same thing. If we don’t solve under- standing what the young consumer really wants and start marketing produce in that way—not just based on price and supply— five years from now we’ll still be fine.” The survey suggests retailers recognize both the opportunity and the challenge. Fresh departments remain one of super - markets’ greatest competitive advantages, supported by strong retailer confidence, continued investment and consumer demand for healthier eating. But sustain - ing that advantage will require more than operational excellence. It will require supermarkets to evolve from simply supplying fresh products to inspiring shoppers with solutions, storytell- ing and experiences that keep fresh foods at the center of the grocery trip. Roerink believes unit growth will gradu- ally improve in late 2026 and moving into 2027. It will not be a dramatic rebound, but demographic change, evolving health priorities, AI-assisted shopping, continued premiumization and consumers’ desire for convenience will likely have just as much influence on fresh department performance as pricing does. “Retailers that deliver compelling meal solutions, clear value and differentiated fresh experiences will be best positioned regardless of the inflation environment,” Roerink said.
40 SUPERMARKETNEWS.COM SUMMER 2026
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