Omni-channel drives dramatic changes to sales of fresh produce

Industry speakers at last week’s Amsterdam Produce Summit discussed what the sector needs to do to adapt to the new retail environment. The central message was that operators need greater adaptation, innovation and collaboration now that the omni-channel has finally arrived. This new form of retail integrates all sales channels as fluidly as possible.

Co-author of “The Future of Shopping”, Jorg Snoeck, underlined how traditional retail is now a thing of the past, due to recent economic, demographic and technological developments. He warned attendees that for supermarkets and retailers to survive, they need to change quickly and in the right way, adopting appropriate business models. The new generations demand convenience and speed in their shopping, which will most likely require robots and some form of AI. Retailers will need to take risks and be creative to find the best solutions.

Other speakers discussed the importance of brand awareness and developing new tools for ensuring the retail experience matches changing patterns of consumer behaviour.