March / April 2012

Retailers today are confronting a series of demographic changes, most notably wage stagnation.

According to our research, the major trends of interest to retail food companies include food safety, store brands, channel management, consumer perception of price/value relationships and nutrition, health and wellness.

In general, discounters and discounting have come on strong as the U.K. economy very slowly recovers from the downturn of 2008-2009, making consumers hyper-aware of costs and opportunities for savings.

These days, employee apathy is a worldwide problem.

Yet companies that pull back entirely risk losing out to competitors, while those that go for it might have an easier time attracting attention. Gehl Foods didn't let a tough 2010 economy dissuade it from launching a shelf-stable yogurt drink that can be stocked with soft drinks.