Supermarket of the Future – Dealing with Changing Environments

Esther Schakel, Bjorn de Koeijer*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to conferencePaper

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Abstract

The world is constantly evolving, with innovations introduced at an increasing pace. Supermarkets, as key players in the retail landscape, need to adapt to change, without knowing the nature or timing of these changes. To stay informed about current developments, supermarkets hire external research agencies to analyse the trends affecting the industry. Nevertheless, in reality, supermarkets must operate on intuition as the field advances more rapidly than evaluation reports can be produced. Examples of retail field advancements include the rise of e-commerce, an increasing focus on customer experience, and a growing demand for information on food choice-related effects. To understand the impact of the changing environment and devise an adequate response, supermarkets must understand the interconnectivity of their in-store processes and elements. Empirical research highlights a gap in decision making, with policy decisions predominantly being made by higher management lacking practical experience, resulting in decisions that do not align with operational activities. This limits the explicit and balanced inclusion of all relevant stakeholders in decision making. This paper presents a method of conceptualising supermarkets and transforming the in-store environment into a network of entities and interrelations, including product-packaging artefacts, product displays, and customers. Extending beyond supermarket environments, the proposed methodology has the potential to be applied as a systematic approach in understanding interrelations in various product-service systems. This approach not only aims to enhance understanding but also seeks to revolutionise supermarkets' responses to rapid changes, potentially offering a more proactive framework for future decision making. This enhances the position of supermarkets as a pivotal element in supply chains, elevating the significance of product-packaging combinations as a critical entity within these ecosystems.
Original languageEnglish
Publication statusPublished - Jun 2024
Event24th IAPRI World Packaging Conference 2024 - ITENE, Valencia, Spain
Duration: 17 Jun 202421 Jun 2024
https://iapri2024.itene.com/

Conference

Conference24th IAPRI World Packaging Conference 2024
Country/TerritorySpain
CityValencia
Period17/06/2421/06/24
Internet address

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