Eye on the Market

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Consumer shopping patterns and cooking habits are heavily influenced by mothers even into adulthood, according to a white paper by Sullivan Higdon and Sink (SHS). "We buy what our mothers bought, to state it simply,” says SHS Food Think leader Tom Bertels. “FoodThink research shows the potential for brand loyalty is especially high with consumers younger than 45 and with today's moms." (Progressive Grocer)
Consumer and Category Insights

 

In the modern approach to category development, a category must be examined in the context of its consumers and performance trends in order to draw implications, shape business planning and build a reputation as a sales and profits leader. N-PG offers several research components that create a complete picture of the category landscape, which can then be utilized to activate internal teams and consumers.

Category A to Z
A Category A to Z report provides a base of knowledge with top-line information and implications across key areas for the selected category, with no significant investment of data and research needed. The analysis provides an overview of past, present and future category performance, along with implications for suppliers and retailers, through an analysis of a variety of sources: 

 

CONSUMER SOLUTIONS

Shopper Insights

Nielsen Perishables Group partners with Spire LLC, the world-class, consumer-centric analytic services and shopper marketing company, to offer FreshFacts® Shopper Insights. This service marries fresh industry expertise with Spire’s proprietary Loyalty Network™ of shopper card transaction history for more than 30 million U.S. households sourced from 12 regional retail banners across 24 states.

FreshFacts® Shopper Insights complement point-of-sale scan data to drive effective business planning by growing knowledge beyond sales, pricing and promotion to also understand consumer purchase patterns and spending habits.

Perishables Consumer Profiles Powered by Nielsen Spectra Opportunity Finder®
Perishables Consumer Profiles are created utilizing Nielsen Spectra’s Opportunity Finder® solution, which develops demographic consumer profiles from point-of-sale data. The profiles go beyond basic demographic information to show category performance across 60 key consumer BehaviorStages™ and Lifestyles. The geographic or account-specific consumer profiles maximizes effectiveness by focusing on high opportunity consumers.

In-store Intercepts
Talking to consumers at the point-of-purchase provides valuable insights into what drives shopping behaviors. In-store intercepts obtain first-hand answers around:

  • Motivation behind purchase (i.e. price, display, usage) 
  • Criteria used in purchase decision 
  • Substitutions made
  • Reaction to products, packaging or merchandising

Internet Surveys
The power of the Internet is leveraged to provide a full range of worldwide research capabilities for managing consumer market evaluations from project initiation through final analysis. Internet research is optimal for targeting consumers across the U.S. or internationally. Specific consumer groups can be designated for the survey in order to understand target or opportunity consumers. The survey can also include product or package images and audio or video clips.

Focus Groups
Focus groups allow for a deeper understanding of consumer attitudes and reactions to products. As a qualitative technique, focus groups reveal the underlying reasons for shopping behavior, the "why." The open-ended interaction of focus groups reveals thoughts and emotions, which consumers may not have the time to share during a shopper intercept or Web survey.

Tactical Studies
Tactical studies document the concepts that deliver the greatest positive impact on category performance. They can also be used to identify the opportunity gaps to improve performance. Various types of tactical studies are available to maximize impact on performance:

  • Packaging tests 
  • Cross-merchandising tests 
  • Secondary location tests 
  • Category re-set tests 
  • Pricing tests 
  • Branding impact tests

Retail Merchandising and Audit Programs
Auditing in-store activity is a critical component to retail success, because as sales dollars move from traditional marketing to retailer programs, execution at the store level often determines success.

Our network of trained merchandisers is equipped with the latest handheld technology delivering faster, more reliable data. With access to stores in the top markets and extended coverage in remaining markets, we can provide coverage of more than 75% of all national chain stores.

The following retail merchandising and audit options available:

  • Merchandising
  • Pricing
  • Promotion
  • Assortment
  • Product quality
  • Shelf space
  • Surveys
  • Schematic compliance
  • Seasonality expansion
  • Competitive activity

 

 

 

 Consumer Decision Tree
The Consumer Decision Tree merges knowledge from multiple tools to create a clear delineation regarding decision drivers for specific categories:

  • How consumers define the category 
  • Which attributes are most important 
  • Order of each decision
     

CATEGORY SOLUTIONS

The Perishables Group presents a complete look at fresh categories performance through store-level and item-level point-of-sale data, combined with loyalty card and demographic data. The information is delivered in a format adaptable for use in both internal meetings and outside sales presentations. Data services range from one-time reports to customized database programs. Benefits include:

  • Lowest level of detail
  • Full picture of performance: fixed- and random-weight
  • Customized views of product groups and geographies
  • Standard and advanced measures
  • 5-year history 
  • 5-year forecast

Performance Benchmark Reports
Excel-based raw data reports or full analysis studies benchmark performance and answer following questions:

  • What categories/segments are growing?
  • Have prices risen or fallen?
  • What portion of the sales is coming from incremental purchases versus baseline sales?
  • Are baseline sales growing or eroding?
  • How do the various regions compare in terms of department/category sales?
  • Are sales shifting from one package type or size to another?
  • Are the number of items in the category increasing or decreasing?

Customized Database Program
A comprehensive database program is available to develop or enhance category management leadership and expertise. Databases are powered by a proprietary, state-of-the-art customized data production process and suite of category development tools, FreshFacts® Online. A database program can provide clients data down to item-level and store-level detail, allowing for granular analysis when required. Customized views of product groups and geographies are also available.

Retailer Report Card
The retailer report card is a benchmarking tool that monitors progress of the following key category and department information:

  • Retailer Chain Characteristics (regions, number of stores, chain image, store demographics)
  • Top-line Performance Measures 
  • Best Practice Compliance/Participation

Merchandising and Assortment Best Practices
Integral to category management and development is an effective strategy for promotion, merchandising and assortment. Advanced analytics can shed light on the following issues to help define and implement best practices at retail:

  • What is the most effective type of ad for a product/category?
  • What is the ideal frequency of promotion?
  • Which items should be promoted together?
  • What sales lift can be expected at each discount level?
  • At what regular retail price point is volume maximized?
  • How many subcategories/segments/items should be carried in the category?
  • How much space should be allocated to the category/sub-category/segment?
  • Where should the category be placed in the department?

 

 
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