The missions that will drive growth in the summer period

With the World Cup around the corner and a predicted summer of heatwaves due to the impact of El Nino, shoppers will be looking to dial up specific missions in specific channels this summer. Our latest missions report explored the latest on missions, using the wealth of ShopperVista data to connect the dots between channels, missions and categories.

Shoppers are more in tune than ever with what they want from a particular retailer. And retailers are beginning to deliver this to shoppers by shifting formats to better meet shopper needs.

The infamous rise of ‘picky bits’ will return during warmer weather as shoppers opt to socialise outdoors leaning into easy to grab options that are perfect for barbeques, picnics and beyond.

As shoppers seek greater ease and efficiency, retail success will depend on how well missions are executed to deliver complete solutions with minimal effort.
Bryony Perkins
Senior Insight Analyst

What to expect from shoppers throughout the summer:

Shoppers, while financially cautious, may become swept up in the summer sun and any home nation success in the upcoming World Cup leading to a boost in sentiment and a boost for particular missions.

What could see an uptick?

Food-for-now and food-for-later missions traditionally see an uptick during warmer weather as shoppers look for easy, quick options that help them embrace the
warmer weather.

Food-for-now missions

Food-for-now missions are most strongly driven by categories such as food-to-go and vaping, with convenience and quick commerce acting as the key channels. In these missions, shoppers are primarily looking for speed, ease and quality when choosing where to shop. To deliver effectively, retailers should focus on categories that fit the food-for-now mission to attract shoppers, while using closely related categories to grow basket spend once they are in store. Products linked to summer occasions, such as picnic items, are particularly well placed to capture increased demand as temperatures rise.

Retailers to watch:

Food-for-later missions

Food-for-later missions are driven by categories such as food-to-go, meal kits, and meat, fish and poultry, with food discount, online and supermarkets acting as the key channels. In these missions, shoppers are looking for quality, enjoyability and speed when deciding where to shop. To deliver effectively, suppliers should prioritise categories that remove friction, leading with solutions that save time and simplify decision-making for shoppers. This can be executed through increased visibility and cross-category activations.