Grocery retail supply chain planning and control: Impact of consumer trends and enabling technologies

Abstract

Grocery retail supply chains have in the past decades increased their efficiency which has led to cost-focused supply chains that are able to deliver high volumes of products at low prices. There is still continual pressure on price, although consumer trends are changing putting pressure on providing higher quality, availability, innovativeness and environmental performance. These trends are forcing grocery retailers to rethink their supply chains. To meet these increased requirements, enabling technologies provide opportunities to modify and improve the planning and control of grocery retail in order to effectively supply the market with grocery products. This paper investigates the consumer trends and enabling technologies, and conceptualizes how certain aspects of planning and control of grocery retail supply chains will differ in the future.