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Frozen & Refrigerated Buyer staff
Through a special arrangement, presented here for discussion is a summary of a current article from Frozen & Refrigerated Buyer magazine.
New research by the Retail Feedback Group reveals that shoppers are skittish about home delivery of frozen and refrigerated foods.
Survey respondents were asked to rate on a five-point scale the following statement: “The items I received met my standards for quality and freshness.”
Some 26 percent of those surveyed rated frozen foods between one and four. Multiple responses on a list of segments were allowed. Here are percentages for other refrigerated departments and categories: dairy, 24 percent; meat, 24 percent; fresh deli, 20 percent; fresh prepared foods, 17 percent; and seafood, 13 percent. Produce came out the worst, with 39 percent of shoppers ranking it between one and four.
Brian Numainville, a principal at RFG and a RetailWire BrainTrust panelist, notes that while frozen and refrigerated foods were not studied in depth in the research, “The issue of a lower scoring quality rating might be centered around the cold chain and ensuring that the product stays stored at the proper temperature during the delivery and/or pickup process.”
The study also found that while online grocery’s strengths include making the most efficient use of time and convenience, in-store shopping’s strengths include better selection and products that best meet standards for quality and freshness. Stores also hold an advantage when it comes to making customers feel more valued, providing better customer service and showing they know and care about food while providing more value for the money spent.
Doug Madenberg, RFG principal, states, “While our research shows that in-store shopping currently holds a stronger position relative to online grocery shopping in quality and freshness, selection, service and value elements, brick and mortar retailers can’t afford to be complacent as online ordering could strive to reshape these areas in the future and negate some of these advantages.”