ADVICE The Retail Academy:WHAT'S TO COME By Julio Ibáñez n the last edition of the year of the Retail Academy, we will clear objective of getting the products of our own brands to focus on the changes we are experiencing in our stores the store shelves at the most competitive price on the market. and how retailers must adapt to the new behaviors of our In addition, these new strategies are accompanied by large customers, including in昀氀ation in the markets. technological investments to ensure all demand planning i And is that, according to the main market studies through automatic replenishment software that leaves virtua- carried out in recent months, in昀氀ation has been causing very lly no margin for error in terms of product shortages in stores. moderate consumption even compared to the COVID era. 吀栀e impacts of the increases in energy and food prices are still THE TRADITIONAL noticeable, and our customers are increasingly choosing more CHANNEL VS. ONLINE carefully where to make their purchases. With all this, the result is that our customers are now much Although most of our Latino customers continue to visit stores more aware when it comes to valuing their expenses and plan- physically on a regular basis, it is also true that supermarket ning all their purchases. 吀栀ey are looking for brands that o昀昀er purchases through their online channels continue to grow by added value without a昀昀ecting high prices. leaps and bounds. 吀栀e new generations such as Millennials already have their highest preference for their online purcha- THE PRIVATE LABEL STRATEGY ses. We are aware that we must continue to improve the online experience of our customers, primarily in delivery times. Our customers now expect us all to go the extra mile to over- come the in昀氀ation crisis, which has clearly been shown to have SOCIAL NETWORKS AND not been caused by supermarkets, who in most cases have INFLUENCERS VS. WEEKLY COUPONS made great sacri昀椀ces to our already tight pro昀椀t margins. With all the tools we can o昀昀er as supermarkets to remain Another trend that is changing and that will be very noticeable competitive, one of the best is to continue growing and develo- in the coming months will be the disappearance of printed ping our private brands. 吀栀is coupons or weekly o昀昀ers. With the savings in physical prin- involves direct negotiation ting of these classic promotions, supermarkets can invest in with the manufacturer, sending those promotions digitally, via text messages or social removing all kinds of networks. In addition, they can use the 昀椀gure of in昀氀uencers intermediaries with the to attract customers of all ages and generations to our stores. Another exciting year awaits us in our supermarket sector, with many changes and inno- vations. I wish you all a happy holiday season with your families and loved ones. 7676 NNOOVVEEMMBBEERR/ D/ DECECEEMMBBEER 2R 200224 4 AABBAASSTOTO..CCOOMM