Customer Experience
Spurred by Amazon, Supermarkets Try Swapping Cashiers for Cameras
“A man strolled down the candy aisle of a grocery store in England last month, picked up a bar of chocolate and stashed it in his back pocket. He wasn’t stealing. Specially equipped surveillance cameras were tracking both his body and the products he was taking off the shelves, to help him pay for them.” That’s right, grocery stores are using cameras to replace cashiers.
Chipotle’s Online Shift Fuels Highest Sales Growth in Two Years
The digital-forward approach is working for this QSR. “Over the past few years, Chipotle has unleashed a number of initiatives, including partnering with delivery services such as Doordash and revamp[ing] its menu to win back customers. The efforts have paid off. Sales at restaurants open for at least 13 months jumped 10 percent in the second quarter, their biggest increase since the first quarter of 2017. Analysts had estimated an 8.3 percent rise.”
Partnerships
Cheez-It Partners with House Wine
The salty snack can now be purchased in a single package that includes a box of wine. “Products that are sold for a limited time help build buzz and excitement around a brand. In this case it’s also a way for Kellogg to cash in on a combination people are making themselves,” says Jeff Delonis, Cheez-It’s Marketing Director.
Data
FTC Slaps Facebook with Record $5 Billion Fine, Orders Privacy Oversight
The social platform has been steeply fined for its data and privacy offenses. “The fine is the largest ever imposed by the FTC against a tech company. The previous high was a 2012 $22.5 million fine against Google for its privacy practices.”
Social Causes
Accor Tackles Food Waste
The hospitality brand has come up with a new way to reduce food waste in Switzerland and make some sales doing so. “The effort is minimal, but the benefits are great. Customers order and pay for the surprise dish or product directly via the app and can pick it up at the hotel 30 minutes before the food and beverage venue closes. Rescued food can include breakfast items, lunch, or dinner, and the prices range between CHF 4.90 and 8.90 (€ 4.50 – 8.00). The value of the goods is between CHF 15 and 27 (€13.50 – 24.50) per portion sold. This means everyone benefits. Hotels get to recover the cost of unsold food items; customers get good deals on top-notch F&B treats and waste is considerably reduced.”