In 2024, the consumer lives in “the world of and,” said 210 Analytics’ Anne-Marie Roerink. Price and promotions are still super important, she said. But they’re not everything.

“For most items and meals, it’s about cost and nutrition, cost and taste, cost and convenience, etc.,” Roerink said.

Instore delis and bakeries that get the “and” right are performing quite well, she added.

Take specialty cheese. If cost were the only thing that was important to consumers, Roerink said, specialty cheese sales wouldn’t be so robust.

“Month after month, we see unit and volume growth, as consumers entertain at home and have moved many special occasions to become permanent at-home occasions.”

This article is an excerpt from the May 2024 issue of Supermarket Perimeter. You can read the entire Moving Forward feature and more in the digital edition here.