Many factors go into customer loyalty, from the most basic (offering quality products that shoppers want) to more emotionally driven considerations. But just because these reasons are less tangible than a retailer’s product assortment, it doesn’t make them less important. Case in point: the Kroger Zero Hunger Zero Waste initiative.

“We began this platform as a strategic mission to solve big systemic problems across food insecurity and food waste,” said Barbara Connors, VP of Commercial Insights at 84.51°, Kroger’s retail data science and insights company, in an interview with Retail TouchPoints. “Customers that participated in the campaign both contributed to the cause but also increased their loyalty to Kroger. This proves that when a retailer or brand shares their mission and talks about the work they are doing — when they invite customers that align with that cause — it generates a stronger connection and drives loyalty.”

Connors shared additional insights into what’s changed — and what hasn’t — in consumer behavior due to COVID-19, along with advice on fine-tuning both ecommerce and store offerings to better meet shopper needs.

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