Grocery Roundup: Vaccination Milestones, reCommerce, And Personalized Retail

According to the CDC, 38 percent of U.S. adults are now vaccinated, and 55 percent have received at least one dose. Supermarkets continue to be a vital part of this effort, even as consumers’ return to life in public could make matters more difficult for them, with people returning to restaurants and bars where previously they had been buying their food and beverages in grocery stores.

For its part, Michigan-based supermarket chain Meijer has administered more than one million doses of the vaccine and has begun opening its doors to walk-ins, with at least 100 first-come-first-served doses available per week, reports Supermarket News.

“When the vaccine rollout began, we were focused on moving as quickly as possible to keep our communities safe,” the supermarket chain’s President and CEO Rick Keyes said in a statement. “Achieving this number in just over three months is a true demonstration of the focus and tenacity of the Meijer team members involved in this important initiative.”

Walmart, meanwhile, has added the Johnson & Johnson vaccine back into its rotation, following the recommendation from the CDC and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that vaccine providers resume use. With this re-addition, the superstore said it could have the ability to administer 13 million vaccine doses each month, should supply allow it.

“One thing I’m not questioning is the safety of the COVID-19 vaccine and the processes in place to ensure it is safe, and I hope you don’t either,” Lisa Smith, senior director, clinical excellence, health and wellness at Walmart U.S., said in a company blog post. “…Today, we will resume administering the J&J vaccine in our stores and clubs with allocation on-hand across the country. We hope you will take any of the vaccines with confidence, and we’ll do our best to answer any other questions we’re hearing from our customers and associates.”

Albertsons Partners With Adobe For Smarter Data Use

Albertsons Companies has been a digital leader, partnering with Google to create a more tech-enabled experience and trying out innovative delivery solutions, growing its digital sales 282 percent year over year in the most recent quarter. On a call with analysts on Monday (April 26), the company highlighted its personalized online offers as a key way of driving loyalty. To that point, Chain Store Age reported on Tuesday (April 27) that the company has partnered with Adobe to improve its data use, taking advantage of the analytic capabilities of Adobe Experience Cloud.

“These days, it is no longer enough to simply keep pace with a changing customer base. We need to be a step ahead, looking around the corner to what people will expect in their grocery shopping experience,” Chris Rupp, Albertsons Companies’ executive vice president and chief customer and digital officer, commented. “…As we boost our omnichannel offerings, we are relying on Adobe Experience Cloud apps to help us get more value from data and leverage cross-channel insights to improve the overall shopping experience.”

The partnership will allow Albertsons to harness the hyper-personalization capabilities of Adobe Analytics, which will allow the supermarket company to understand the shopper’s journey at each touchpoint, helping tailor the experience to what customers are looking for in that specific context.

Asda Supermarkets Add In-Store Secondhand Clothing Shops

U.K. supermarket chain Asda will soon start selling vintage pre-owned clothing in 50 of its stores, in partnership with Preloved Vintage Wholesale, reports The Guardian. These items will be sold through George at Asda, a clothing and home goods brand already available at Asda shops.

“We know that sustainable fashion is something that’s really important to our customers and colleagues,” Melanie Wilson, senior director of sustainability and ethical global sourcing at George at Asda, told the publication. “They’re passionate about us encouraging everyone in the U.K. to think about the issues of waste and how we can make fashion and textiles more circular, so that we really can reduce the number of garments that go into landfill.” The initiative will roll out after a test run in Asda’s sustainability-focused store in Leeds, U.K.

Cadbury Directs Consumers Away From Big Chocolate

In its latest marketing campaign, Cadbury Chocolate urges consumers not to buy Cadbury Chocolate, reports MarketingWeek. As consumers increasingly seek brands that align with their values, Cadbury asks consumers to opt for small, local chocolate makers sold at independent candy stores, rather than buying a Dairy Milk bar from a larger grocery store.

“We are proud to be supporting local chocolatiers across the U.K.,” said Colin O’Toole, associate director of marketing for Cadbury U.K. and Ireland. “As a nation, we’ve always been lucky to have a thriving chocolate scene, full of variety and creativity; and at Cadbury, we of course understand what it’s like to start out as a small independent chocolate shop. So, we wanted to take the opportunity to support our fellow chocolatiers and ask the nation to do the same. After all, it’s all for the love of chocolate.”

Through the chocolate brand’s direct-to-consumer eCommerce site Cadbury Gifts Direct, the company is offering consumers a free chocolate bar from a selection of local chocolatiers.

“Today, however, all over the country, these chocolate makers are having an incredibly tough time,” reads the For the Love of Chocolate campaign’s site. “Our nation’s high streets were in trouble before the pandemic hit, and now things are even worse…Although you may have come here to buy some Cadbury chocolate, we were wondering if you’d also try an independent chocolate shop’s product, on us? That way we can all help thousands of independent chocolate makers everywhere.”

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