Kevin Graff

Grocery Theatricals Put Under the Spotlight

July 28, 2010

FROM RETAILWIRE:
Enticing smells will increase spend and build loyalty. What you see, however, isn't always what it appears to be. Do you buy the argument that supermarket theatricals are a means of misleading the consumer or do you see them as an essential element of improving the shopping experience?      [more...]

Let's see...the media is making a fuss about the whining of some--apparently hard--done by small group of independents who are, as always, struggling to make it work. Where have we seen this before?

I have lots of empathy for independents trying to compete, but crying foul here just isn't right. The use of scents works, and to suggest someone shouldn't use it or post disclaimers is a bit ludicrous. Maybe a few more independents should learn from these big guys. Like the 'stinky' fish shop down the road that doesn't smell fresh at all, or the prepared food shop that is going out of business partly because it smelled so sterile and lacked any sign of home cooking at all.

Who does it best? I'm in Canada, and both Longo's and Whole Foods do it better than most.