The inflationary environment means grocers need to fight hard to retain their customers, and data is one of the most important tools at their fingertips. Information alone won’t build loyalty, however, or win over new shoppers—marketers need to understand how and when to best put data to use to reach shoppers with timely, relevant messages.

“We anchor a lot of our activity around personalization,” said Brian Spencer, Marketing Director for Kroger Precision Marketing. “Data is great, but it’s not worth anything if you’re not putting it to use. We personalize the offers that shoppers are seeing as they shop with us and that really helps make the experience faster, easier, and more relevant.”

Getting the most out of personalization means having the right teams with proper tools in place to deliver promotions in a convenient manner. Coupons play a big role in today’s market—Spencer noted that 64% of households are on the lookout for deals—but it’s not a matter of simply looking at past purchases and offering promotions on the same items. Grocers need to dig deep into their data to understand their customers on a more personal level.

Click here to read the full Food Institute article.