Welcome to The Week in Retail, a weekly roundup for marketers from Quad Insights that covers the latest must-know news surrounding the retail space.
Target introduces 1,000-plus wellness products priced at $1.99 and up
To “support guests on their wellness journey without stretching their budgets,” Target has introduced more than 1,000 wellness products priced at $1.99 and up, per a company statement. The new selection includes everything from apparel and accessories to “good for you” food and beverages to supplements and tech, and includes hundreds of brands sold exclusively at Target, such as All in Motion and Ghia. The retailer is also promoting ingredient transparency through the collection with the Target Clean symbol, which signifies products formulated without unwanted chemicals and that meet the Target Clean standards for transparency. To promote the launch of the new selection, Target has created a Health & Wellbeing destination on its website.
The takeaway: “Wellness” is hotter than ever — and Target is not only broadening consumer understanding of the category with this massive rollout, but also signaling that wellness products don’t have to be premium-priced.
SpartanNash launches food traceability program to create safer, more transparent supply chain
Food solutions company SpartanNash announced on Monday the launch of a food traceability program designed to create a safer, more transparent supply chain, with rapid and precise recalls and insights that help reduce food waste. The program, called the ReposiTrak Traceability Network, will require that the hundreds of SpartanNash suppliers harvesting or handling products on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Food Traceability List share traceability data with SpartanNash and its retailers.
With the implementation of ReposiTrak, SpartanNash and its suppliers — which range from grocers to retail brands to e-commerce platforms and even U.S. military commissaries — have created what the company says is “the world’s largest compliance and risk management network spanning more than 110,000 facility connections in more than 100 countries.”
The takeaway: With growing concerns around supply chain resilience and a desire for more transparency about ingredients among consumers, SpartanNash sees an opportunity to address the issues with a unified solution.
Related news:
- “Supply Chain Traceability Platform TrusTrace Raises $24 Million” (ESG Today)
- “Consumers Demand Transparency in Protein” (Progressive Grocer)
MasterChef loyalty program allows customers to earn points redeemable for MasterChef-branded items
Loyalty program solutions provider tcc Global is partnering with long-running culinary competition TV show MasterChef to offer rewards promotions to shoppers at regional and national supermarket chains, per a company statement. The program is currently running at the United Family division of Albertson’s Market and Amigos; QFC, the Washington-based division of the Kroger Family of Stores; and Niemann Foods in Quincy, Illinois. During the grocers’ three- to four-month campaigns, customers can earn digital points redeemable for MasterChef-branded kitchen products — everything from kitchen knives to food storage containers. Additional promotions vary based on each store’s campaign, with some offering extra benefits such as points that can be redeemed for free groceries.
The takeaway: tcc Global and its supermarket partners are banking on the continuing popularity of MasterChef — which was ranked last summer’s No. 1 cooking show among all viewers, per the tcc statement — to foster customer loyalty.
Related news:
- “Giant Eagle Revamps Loyalty Program” (Progressive Grocer)
CALIA debuts new performance wear collection at DICK’s Sporting Goods
On Monday, women’s performance wear brand CALIA — sold exclusively at DICK’s Sporting Goods — launched a new national campaign, dubbed “CALIA Inspire: There’s Beauty In The Burn,” to promote the brand’s latest fabric and apparel collection Inspire. Featuring LYCRA ADAPTIV, BodyFree, BodyBreeze Wicking and UPF technologies, the collection’s fabric provides strength but lightweight support, reduces moisture, inhibits odor and offers UV protection across items including leggings, shorts, bodysuits, tanks, sports bras and more in sizes XXS-XXL in-store at DICK’s and sizes 1X-3X available online. The Inspire campaign includes a 30-second spot titled “There’s Beauty in the Burn,” which is now running across social platforms and streaming services and will air on national TV for the first time during the Grammy Awards on Feb. 4.
The takeaway: CALIA and DICK’s are bridging the gap between the hot athleisure category and performance athletic gear with apparel that blends all-day comfort and high-tech fabric/construction.
Further reading
Retail trends:
- “Highsnobiety: Rule-breaking brands, niche designs are redefining luxury” (Rivet)
- “How Abercrombie went from America’s most hated retailer to a Gen Z favorite” (Fast Company)
- “As consumers demand more for their money, some clothing brands shift their messaging to quality” (Marketing Brew)
Retail operations and expansion:
- “Buybuy Baby Celebrates Return to Brick and Mortar” (Sourcing Journal)
- “True Religion steps into new footwear venture with Orly” (Fashion Network)
- “Choice Market Partners With AI Company to Propel Mini-Mart Concept” (CSP Daily News)
- “Safilo and Levi Strauss extend licensing deal until end-2029″ (Reuters)
- “Birkenstock focuses on premium products, as revenue jumps 20%” (Glossy)
Retail launches and partnerships:
- “Tumi Embarks on Multiyear Partnership With the PGA Tour and LPGA” (Women’s Wear Daily)
- “Dollar General comes out with new fragrance line” (Supermarket News)
Retail tech:
- “How Stop & Shop promoted in-store robot Marty to brand ambassador” (Grocery Dive)
- “How Instacart plans to gamify omnichannel shopping” (Grocery Dive)
- “Etsy launches ‘Gift Mode,’ a new AI-powered feature that generates 200+ gift guides” (TechCrunch)
Retail performance:
- “America’s hidden grocery winner: What’s fueling Aldi’s growth” (Axios)
- “Nike was the top-traded sneaker brand of 2023: report” (Fashion Dive)
- “Study: Target, Walmart and Albertson’s overall top e-commerce grocery performers” (Chain Store Age)
- “Amazon, Levi’s, Nike and TikTok Among Category Leaders in Loyalty and Brand Engagement” (Sourcing Journal)
ICYMI: National Retail Federation 2024 postgame coverage:
- “NRF 2024: It’s All About Better Leveraging Supply Chain Data” (Forbes)
- “NRF optimistic about US retail’s growth but value remains key” (Just Style)
- “NRF 2024: The most ‘influential’ brands and retailers” (Chain Store Age)
Thanks for reading.
If you’d like to catch up on prior installments of this column, start by heading to our last recap: “The Week in Retail: January 19, 2024 edition”
