The ‘convenience' and the new opportunities that offers to the industry and the big distribution

The study leaves clear that the tendency 'convenience' (suitability) arises as a result of the changes sociodemográficos experienced by a consumer that demands solutions of food to consume anytime and place. “A consumer that encourages each day for taking out the maximum benefit of his time and maximizar his moments of leisure. Something that appreciates in some European markets, especially in the United Kingdom, although it begins to calar deep in our country”, sintetizaba Marc Torres, responsible of Management of the Knowledge in the area of the demand in Aecoc. This tendency generates a series of susceptible opportunities to analyse, in the first place, and take advantage of, second, according to the spokesman of Aecoc.

Of the study elaborated by Aecoc gives off that 80% of the interviewed chooses his place of purchase in function of the vicinity; or in function of the little free time of the that have (52%) and even the purpose to devote less time to the purchase (47%). Factors like the price, even in full context of crisis, situate underneath (25%). “The buyer is not the same, because it is not of anybody since has a lot of needs. It attends to establishments very distinct, that offer his products of form very diverse”, puntualizaba Antonio Agustín, consultor specialist in commercial distribution and author beside the also quality consultancy Sofia Delclaux of the study presented. Antonio Agustín predicted like this the birth of a hybrid “consumer, contaminated by experiences of purchase in different surroundings, that no longer is property of anybody. A customer that changes of perspective of continuous form and conceives the life, and therefore his form to consume, of distinct form to some years backwards”.

Of the 'convenience' both authors thought that it is not a fashion, to weigh that all the world speak of this tendency, but that neither is a clear-cut concept, so that all the world interpret it equal. “The idea here is not to give a solution, but analyse the why has gone to the 'convenience', and which factors have influenced in his apparition”, explained Sofia Delclaux. Several antecedents have caused the success of the convenience in our country: changes sociodemográficos (population of age increasingly advanced, greater number of homes unipersonales (23%); difficult storage and continuous purchase of products; buyers that collect points of sale; the price is important but no determinant and finally the increase of the on-line purchase. “In Spain, 2,5 million people buy foods by internet. Besides, the half ticket of purchase is upper to the that effect in the ‘retail'”.

The 'convenience' will go to more

84% of the consumers affirms that the main reason by which buys ready food is the suitability, because it does not have time to cook. Besides, the British institute of investigation IGD foresees that this tendency grow in United Kingdom 5,5% annual until the year 2016, in front of 3,7% total of the big consumption. And it is that, as it affirms the study of Aecoc, in the measure in that the demographic changes and habits of the consumers keep , the demand of the concept 'convenience' will follow developing, by what the key of the success will be the capacity of adaptation to each market, offering to the consumer solve that they allow them save time and effort in the process of purchase and consumption.

The study of Aecoc offers besides some recommendations so that manufacturers, distributors and restauradores take advantage of the opportunities of development fruit of this new tendency of consumption.

Like this, the manufacturers will have to comprise this new tendency and, in consequence, develop products (specifications, packed / and ready packagings) adapted to her. Another possibility is the one of segmentar to his customers in function of the suitability.

Regarding the 'retail', this will be able to take advantage of to incorporate to his linear new products (formats, ingredients, cooked…), and even create new sections in the establishment.

The day saldó with the exhibition of Rosario Pedrosa, manager of the area of the Demand of Aecoc. An intervention that turned around the United Kingdom, the country with greater index of development in ‘convenience' and in which it tackled the experience of some leaders of the British distribution like Tesco (with a quota of 31%), Asda, M&S, Sainsbury, The Coop., Morrisons, Spar and Waitrose. “Five are the reasons by which recommend to learn of this market”, puntualizaba Pedrosa in relation to the United Kingdom, third in importance regarding big distribution in Europe and ninth in the ranking world-wide. In the first place, it treats of a market that can designate of multi-format (since it pretends to give answer to the needs of the consumer) and multi-channel (this last in peak, especially the on-line sale). Second, it is a market with a potential of innovation “tremendo”, in the development of new ranges of products. An innovation that produces no only in the marks of the manufacturers, but also in the white mark. “They are very active to the hour to communicate the value, or the price of the products in promotion in the establishments”, added. Therefore, they are usual the wars of prices, the aggressive promotional campaigns and the comparisons in the linear with other chains of distribution. In fact, more than 34% of the sales achieve through promotional actions. “The price is very important but there is a second part of the equation that know to work very well: all the related with the values. For example, they promote values like the ethical, the sustainability, the tradition, the origin, the place. This is something that appreciates no only in the marks of big consumption, but also in the ones of the distribution”.

The convenience and the on-line sale go to experience the greater increases in the next years, in opinion of the manager of the area of the Demand of Aecoc. The shops of suitability present big sections of cool products, especially of fruit and vegetables for like this attract traffic to the point of sale, of ready dishes, food to carry and even offer menus in the own establishment. At the same time, the packs and the different formats play a very important paper. “It transmits to the buyer the idea of 'put it easy'. To offer him solutions that facilitate him the life in any point of sale in which it was”.